Ashy Woodpecker

Overview

The ashy woodpecker (Mulleripicus fulvus) is a large species of bird in the woodpecker family Picidae, endemic to Sulawesi and surrounding islands in Indonesia. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List and is considered a secure and not uncommon species.

Identification

• A large woodpecker measuring 40 cm (16 in) in length, smaller than the great slaty woodpecker.
• Males possess a red face extending to the mid-crown with grey at the back of the head and neck, whereas females have an entirely grey head that is faintly spotted except for the forehead.
• The throat, front of the neck, and belly are buff-coloured, while the back and wings range from grey-brown to dark slate grey.
• Features include a long black bill, yellow irises surrounded by a grey eye-ring, and calls consisting of muffled 'hew-hew-hew-hew-hew' or 'tuk tuk tuk' sounds.
• The M. f. wallacei subspecies has red colouration encompassing most of the head and slightly longer wings and tail but a shorter bill.

Habitat

Found from sea level to 2,000 m elevation in tropical moist lowland and montane forests. The species prefers closed forest but is also present in secondary forests and patches of forest within savannah. It is assumed to be non-migratory and is found in northern and southern Sulawesi, as well as the Lembeh, Manterawu, Togian, Banggai, Muna, and Buton islands.

Diet

Predominantly feeds on trees, often seen on trunks, but may also break into termite nests on the ground. Its diet consists of termites, caterpillars, and other insects and arthropods.

Did you know?

Nesting involves a significant division of labour, with the male doing most of the work when digging nest holes in dead trees or dead sections of living trees, where two to three eggs are laid.