Bay Woodpecker

The Bay Woodpecker, Blythipicus pyrrhotis, is a mid-sized avian member of the Picidae family, which includes other woodpeckers, piculets, wrynecks, and sapsuckers. Adults typically measure between 26.5 to 30 cm in length and weigh between 126 to 170 grams.

Identification Tips

Males of the species are recognizable by their brown crowns, short crests, streaked napes, and pale brown foreheads. Females, on the other hand, have shorter bills and lack the red coloration on the neck, presenting with paler heads.

Habitat

The Bay Woodpecker favors subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, as well as moist montane forests. They are often found in evergreen and mixed deciduous forests, particularly in densely wooded ravines.

Distribution

This species is distributed across various South Asian countries, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. They inhabit a range of altitudes from 50 m to 2750 m above sea level.

Behaviour

Bay Woodpeckers forage individually, maintaining loose contact with their partners. They do not forage in close proximity to other Bay Woodpeckers. Their foraging activities occur mainly on trunks, rotting snags, logs, saplings, vines, and bamboo, typically 3 to 4 meters below the forest canopy.

Song & Calls

The species communicates with a long, dry rattle, which serves as a contact call between mates and can be heard over large distances. This call also functions as a territorial announcement.

Breeding

During the breeding season, Bay Woodpeckers engage in displays such as crest-raising and wing-flicking. Both sexes participate in excavating a nest hole, which is usually situated low down in either live or dead wood. They share responsibilities for incubation and feeding the brood.

Similar Species

There are five subspecies of Bay Woodpeckers, which include B. p. pyrrhotis, B. p. sinensis, B. p. annamensis, B. p. hainanus, and B. p. Cameroni. These subspecies share the family's characteristic features but may exhibit regional variations.

Diet and Feeding

The diet of the Bay Woodpecker is primarily composed of insects such as ants, termites, and wood-boring beetles. They will also occasionally consume berries. Their foraging technique involves searching for food on various substrates below the forest canopy.

Conservation Status

The Bay Woodpecker is currently classified as "Least Concern" by the IUCN. Although the species is not globally threatened, it is generally uncommon and its population is in decline, primarily due to habitat loss. The global population size is unknown, but estimates in China suggest a range of 10,000 to 100,000 breeding pairs.