Red-backed flameback

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Red-backed flameback
Red-backed Flameback female in Sri Lanka .jpg
Female
Black-rumped Flameback (Dinopium benghalense) - Flickr - Lip Kee.jpg
Male

Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Piciformes
Family: Picidae
Genus: Dinopium
Species:
D. psarodes
Binomial name
Dinopium psarodes
Synonyms

Dinopium benghalense psarodesBrachypternus ceylonus(Legge, 1880)

Contents

The Red-backed flameback, Lesser Sri Lanka flameback, Sri Lanka red-backed woodpecker or Ceylon red-backed woodpecker [2] (Dinopium psarodes) is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It is endemic to Sri Lanka, only absent in the far-north. [3] It is sometimes considered a subspecies of the Black-rumped flameback. [4] [5]

Phylogenetics

Painting by John Gerrard Keulemans, marked as Brachypternus ceylonus, painted in 1878. BrachypternusCeylonusLegge.jpg
Painting by John Gerrard Keulemans, marked as Brachypternus ceylonus, painted in 1878.
Male of reddish orange hybrid form, presumably juvenile. Orange can clearly be seen, indicating a hybrid. Red-backed flameback (Dinopium psarodes) red-orange hybrid form.jpeg
Male of reddish orange hybrid form, presumably juvenile. Orange can clearly be seen, indicating a hybrid.

It has been considered an endemic species since the time of Legge. [5] It was first placed in the genus Brachypternus as Brachypternus ceylonus. [4] It was later lumped as subspecies of the Black-rumped flameback (Dinopium benghalense), as Dinopium benghalense psarodes. It was elevated to full species status in a study [4] by Sampath S. Seneviratne, Darren E. Irwin, and Saminda P. Fernando.

In this study, it was found to hybridize with the Black-rumped flameback. The hybridization is concentrated north of a border from Trincomalee to the base of Puttalam lagoon and south of a border from Mullaitivu to Mannar. [5] [4] Hybridization is less out of this border, where the Black-rumped flameback dominates north of the border while the Red-backed flameback dominates south of the border. [4] [5] It is a case of Hybrid inferiority, in which the pure species are more successful than the hybrids. [5]

It is one of the three species of red coloured flamebacks which are found only in Sri Lanka and the Philippines. It is also the only red-coloured Dinopium species. [5] The other Red flamebacks are the Crimson-backed flameback (Chrysocolaptes stricklandi) of Sri Lanka, and the Luzon flameback (Chrysocolaptes haematribon) of the Philippines (Except for the Yellow-faced flameback (Chrysocolaptes xanthocephalus), but it is mostly yellow.) [5] This analogous trait (a trait shared by two organisms by convergent evolution, which means that they evolved to be similar independently because of similar evolutionary pressures) suggests that some evolutionary pressure in Sri Lanka and the Philippines caused their endemic flamebacks to become red. No subspecies are recognized. [3]

Description

Female head, which clearly shows the spots on forecrown and forehead, streaks between eye and nape, and spots on throat. Red-backed Flameback (Dinopium psarodes) female head.jpg
Female head, which clearly shows the spots on forecrown and forehead, streaks between eye and nape, and spots on throat.

About 28 centimetres (11 in) in length. [3] Mostly crimson with black trailing edges to wings. underparts white with messy black marks. The breast and neck are black with white spots on the throat and white streaks on the breast. A black eyestripe stretches to the back of the neck and diffuses into the nape and upper back, with white streaks between the eye and neck. It has a red crown, with the forecrown and forehead black speckled with white in females. The eye is hidden among the black eyestripe. It has a fairly sized grey bill, which forms a blunt point. Juveniles are duller with less bold markings, with males having white spots on crown and females with few spots if not none. [3] Hybrids can be either mostly red with orange or yellow (closer to Red-backed flameback) or mostly yellow with red or orange (closer to Black-rumped flameback)

Habitat

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, and subtropical or tropical mangrove forests, including manmade environments like home gardens. It can be seen from 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) away. Mostly found in the dry zone, but likes humid environments. [3]

Behaviour and ecology

Voice and sounds

Its voice is a sharp whinny which is more unmusical and screeching than that of D. benghalense. It can either go along in a rhythmic "woik-woik-wik-wi-ti-ti-t-t t-t-trrrrrr!" or a repeated "woik-tri-tri-tri-tri-tri-tri-tri- !" which lasts for three seconds. [3] [2] [6] Has a dull drumroll of 0.8 - 1.5 seconds. [3]

Whinnying call of an reddish-orange hybrid

Foraging

Diet

Its main source of food are ants. It seems to prefer Carpenter ants (Camponotus spp.), ants in the genus Meranoplus , and the pupae and larvae of Asian weaver ants (Oecophylla smaragdina). [3] Other invertebrates eaten include spiders, caterpillars, weevils and beetles. Also feeds on some fruit occasionally, as a source of dietary fiber and other nutrients. [3]

Foraging behaviour

It uses its tail as a support to climb trees, and flies in a flap-and-glide bounding pattern. It breaks into leaf nests of weaver ants in the trees themselves but descends to the ground to access nests of ground ants. [3] Forages alone, in pairs or as a family group, and often joins multi-species foraging flocks, like other Dinopium flamebacks. [3]

Breeding

Female making a nest cavity or foraging. Crimson-backed Flameback.jpg
Female making a nest cavity or foraging.
Scaling a tree Red-backed flameback - Sri Lanka - 02.jpg
Scaling a tree

It drills nest holes at many variable heights. These holes, which can only be built by woodpeckers, barbets and other Piciformes, are nesting sites for other cavity-nesting birds like parrots, who cannot make their own holes. [5] Sometimes broods twice, but usually only one clutch is laid per season. It breeds from December-September, predominantly from August-September and from February-June. Two-three eggs are laid per clutch. [3]

Conservation

It is marked as least concern on the IUCN red list, because it has a stable yet unknown population and is common to locally common in its comparatively small range. No declines nor threats have been identified. [7] It is very common, one of the "Common" endemics throughout Sri Lanka, along with the Sri Lankan junglefowl, the Sri Lanka hanging parrot, and the Crimson-fronted barbet. [2] It is the most common woodpecker species in Sri Lanka. [2] [8]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-rumped flameback</span> Species of bird

The black-rumped flameback, also known as the lesser golden-backed woodpecker or lesser goldenback, is a woodpecker found widely distributed in the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the few woodpeckers that are seen in urban areas. It has a characteristic rattling-whinnying call and an undulating flight. It is the only golden-backed woodpecker with a black throat and a black rump.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater flameback</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-naped woodpecker</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common flameback</span> Species of bird in the Picidae family

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Himalayan flameback</span> Species of bird

The Himalayan flameback, also known as the Himalayan goldenback, is a species of bird in the family Picidae. At the moment very little is known of this species and more fieldwork is required. The Himalayan flameback is not threatened but it is suspected that deforestation could severely affect the species population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden-cheeked woodpecker</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crimson-backed flameback</span> Species of bird

The crimson-backed flameback or greater Sri Lanka flameback is a species of bird in the woodpecker family Picidae that is endemic to Sri Lanka.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luzon flameback</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-faced flameback</span> Species of bird

The yellow-faced flameback is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It is found on the Philippine islands of Negros and Panay. It is extinct on Guimaras, Masbate, and Ticao (extinct). It is one of the most spectacular woodpeckers with its bright yellow head and crimson red back. It is sometimes considered a subspecies of the greater flameback. It is found in moist lowland forests including primary, secondary and even plantations and clearings provided there are still standing trees. It is the rarest woodpecker in the country and it is threatened by habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-headed flameback</span> Species of bird

The red-headed flameback is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It is endemic to the Philippines only being found in the region of Palawan in the islands of Balabac, mainland Palawan, Busuanga and Calamian. It is one of the most spectacular flamebacks with its bright red head and yellow-green back. It is sometimes considered a subspecies of the greater flameback. It is found in moist lowland forests including primary, secondary and even plantations and clearings provided there are still standing trees. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaludiya Pokuna Forest</span>

Kaludiya Pokuna Archeological Forest Site, is a forest with archeological remains in Kandalama, in the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka. The site has been handed over to the Girls' High School, Kandy in accordance with the "Urumaya Thani Nokaramu" program organized by the Department of Archeology. For the first time in Sri Lanka, a school was given custody of an archeological site.

References

  1. International), BirdLife International (BirdLife (2016-10-01). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Dinopium psarodes". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Wijeyaratne, Gehan (2020). A Naturalist's Guide to the Birds of Sri Lanka. John Beaufoy Publishing. ISBN   9781913679002.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 del Hoyo, Josep; Collar, Nigel; Christie, David (2020-03-04). Del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew; Sargatal, Jordi; Christie, David; De Juana, Eduardo (eds.). "Red-backed Flameback (Dinopium psarodes)". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.bkrfla2.01. S2CID   243678033.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Fernando, S.P.; Irwin, D.E.; Seneviratne, S.S. (2016). "Phenotypic and genetic analysis support distinct species status of the Red-backed Woodpecker (Lesser Sri Lanka Flameback: Dinopium psarodes) of Sri Lanka". The Auk. 133 (3): 497–511. doi: 10.1642/AUK-15-233.1 .
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Seneviratne, S. S., (2021, February 18). From Woodies to Plovers: an untold story of our national identity [Public online lecture]. Monthly Public Lecture of the WNPS, Sri Lanka. https://www.facebook.com/wnpssl/videos/818317168897940/
  6. "Red-backed Flameback - eBird". ebird.org. Retrieved 2021-02-21.
  7. International), BirdLife International (BirdLife (2016-10-01). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Dinopium psarodes". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
  8. "Woodpeckers of Sri Lanka". AmazingLanka.com. 2015-05-23. Retrieved 2021-02-22.

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