Lesser Goldenback (Woodpecker) : A Pleasant , Loving Bird

Lesser Goldenback (Female)

Lesser Goldenback (Male)

Lesser Goldenback (Woodpecker) : A Pleasant , Loving Bird

# Recently a beautiful, agile bird popularly known as ‘Lesser Goldenback ’ or ‘ Black – rumped Flameback ’ – one of the species of woodpecker, was sighted at Kanpur Cantt. We followed them and clicked some attractive photos displaying its beauty and action which are presented here.

Salient features of Lesser Goldenback :

· Due to presence of bright, golden yellow wing coverts along with array of white dots, they derive name as ‘Lesser Goldenback’.

· As the rump of this bird is black, it is also known as ‘Black-rumped Flameback’.

· The adult male has distinctive red / crimson crown & crest.

· The adult female display a black fore crown spotted with white dots and red rear crest.

· They have white-spotted black throat and black stripe across eye.

· Their call includes single strident ‘klerk’ and a whinnying ‘kyi-kyi-kyi’.

· A widespread resident bird of India, can be sighted striking the bark of tree with their long, pointed bills. Normally found in light forest, plantations, grooves and trees in open areas. They are shy birds by nature and keep themselves away from human activity area.

· They feed mainly on insects, ants, beetle larvae, termites, figs & berries.

· They are mainly arboreal birds. They make hopping movements and move from bottom to upward vertically on the branches of tree.

· Their scientific name is ‘Dinopium benghalense’and it belongs to ‘Picidae’ family.

· Its Hindi name is ‘ कठफोड़वा ‘.

Lesser Goldenback (Female)

In search of food

In search of insects

Lesser Goldenback (Male)

Hitting the bark with bill

Perched vertically on branch

Perched vertically

Beautiful Golden back

Long , pointed Bills

Perched on tree

· As per IUCN Red list of Threatened Species, it is considered as ‘Least Concern’, but their number is decreasing gradually due to increased human activities and loss of their natural habitat. We should make endeavour for survival of these beautiful birds & save ecology.

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World Wildlife Day, 03rd March.