Bird watching in Thailand: the red woodpecker (Micropternus brachyurus; synonym: Celeus brachyurus)

The Rufous Woodpecker (Micropternus brachyurus; synonym: Celeus brachyurus) is a species of bird in the Picidae family (woodpeckers). This species is widespread in Asia and in the eastern part of Africa, from Ethiopia to South Africa. 

The Rufous Woodpecker (in English: Red-headed Woodpecker - Rufous Woodpecker) is a medium-sized brown woodpecker found in South and Southeast Asia. The woodpecker is about 25 inches (XNUMX cm) long, generally dark brown with dark bands on the wing and tail feathers. The head is somewhat paler and looks more like red. The beak is short with a slight curvature of the culmen.

The Rufous Woodpecker is a small bird measuring about 12 inches in length. The male has a black head and chest and a grey-brown back and tail. The female is light brown in color and has a white breast. Both sexes have a long, thin beak and long, thin legs. This bird species lives mainly in wooded areas and can sometimes be found in the open countryside. It mainly eats insects and other small invertebrates, which it catches on the ground or on branches and leaves. Red woodpeckers forage in pairs on ant nests on trees, fallen logs, dung heaps and termite mounds. They are known to feed on ants of the genera Crematogaster and Oecophylla. The woodpecker also loves the nectar of some flowers and the juice of banana leaves.

The Rufous Woodpecker is a passerine bird and has a sharp, squeaky song. It likes to nest in cavities in trees or rocks and lays 2 to 4 eggs per clutch. The breeding season is in the dry period before the monsoon, from February to June. The habitat of the bird is mainly in the plains and lower hills, usually below 3000 m.

Little is known about the ecological role of this bird in its habitats and more research is needed to understand how the Rufous Woodpecker contributes to biodiversity conservation.