Heart-spotted Woodpecker

The heart-spotted woodpecker, Hemicircus canente, presents a striking black and white plumage. This small, uniquely shaped bird is characterized by a large crest and a wedge-shaped head that appears rather large in comparison to its short body and tail. The species is monotypic, meaning it has no recognized subspecies.

Identification Tips

Males and females of this species can be distinguished by their head coloration: males have a black forehead and crown, while females display a buffy white colour in these areas. Both sexes have heart-shaped black spots on their white shoulders, broad white scapular patches, and barred flight feathers. The underparts are a dark olive grey, and the throat is whitish. A peculiar feature is the presence of specialized, lipid-rich feathers on the back, which may give the rump a buff appearance and emit a pleasant smell.

Habitat

The heart-spotted woodpecker inhabits subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

Distribution

This species has a wide distribution across Asia, found in the Himalayan forests of India, extending into Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. In India, they are also present in the Western Ghats and central forests.

Behaviour

Heart-spotted woodpeckers are often seen in pairs or small groups, sometimes joining mixed-species foraging flocks. They exhibit a sharply bounding flight and frequently call while foraging on thin branches.

Song & Calls

Their vocal repertoire includes a sharp "twee-twee-twee" duet call, a nasal "ki-yeew," and repeated "su-sie" calls. They drum infrequently, mainly during the breeding season.

Breeding

The breeding season sees these woodpeckers nesting in dead branches or even fence posts, with a narrow entrance leading to a chamber. They typically lay a clutch of 2 or 3 unmarked white eggs.

Diet and Feeding

Their diet mainly consists of insects found under the bark, and they have been known to peck at Cassia fistula pods to extract insect larvae.

Conservation status

The heart-spotted woodpecker is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.