Fernandina's Flicker
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| Colaptes fernandinae Vigors, 1827 |
The Fernandina's Flicker (Colaptes fernandinae) is a species of bird in the woodpecker family. Endemic to Cuba, its small population of 600–800 birds makes it one of the most endangered species of woodpecker in the world;[2] only the possibly-extinct Ivory-billed Woodpecker is known to have a smaller population. The Fernandina's Flicker is threatened by habitat loss.
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[edit] Description
The Fernandina's Flicker is a medium-sized woodpecker, ranging in length from 14–15 inches (33–35 cm).[3] Overall, it is mostly yellowish-tan, covered with varying amounts of black barring; its underwings are yellow. The male has a black moustachial stripe, which the female lacks.
[edit] Distribution and habitat
The Fernandina's Flicker is endemic to Cuba. Though it was apparently never common, it was formerly found across the island.[4] Now, however, it is restricted to isolated locations in nine of the country's 15 provinces: Camagüey, Cienfuegos, Granma, Holguín, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Río, Santiago de Cuba, and Villa Clara.[1] The largest population is found in Zapata Swamp, where some 120 pairs are estimated to live, though this number may have dropped following recent hurricanes.[1][4]
The flicker's natural habitats include subtropical or tropical dry forests, dry savanna, swamps, and pastureland.
[edit] Behavior
Though not a particularly social bird, the Fernandina's Flicker will sometimes form loose colonies of up to 15 pairs.[3] It regularly fights with other woodpeckers.
[edit] Feeding
Like its congeners, the Fernandina's Flicker often forages—primarily for ants, but also for other insects, worms, grubs and seeds—on the ground.[2][3] It uses its strong bill to probe the ground, and flick aside leaf litter.
[edit] Breeding
The Fernandina's Flicker breeds between March and June;[3] during courtship, pairs regularly engage in high-flying chases. Like all woodpeckers, it is a cavity nester. Recent fieldwork has shown that it prefers to use nest holes started by West Indian Woodpeckers; the flicker usurps the original owners, finishes off the excavation work, and moves in.[2] The female lays a clutch of three to five white eggs,[3] which are incubated for a period of about 18 days. Young fledge after 22 days.[2]
[edit] Voice
Though it is regularly silent, the flicker's calls include a repeated wicka (the onomatopoeic sound which gives the genus its common name), and a loud series of pic notes.[2]
[edit] Conservation
With an estimated population of only 600–800 birds, the Fernandina's Flicker is one of the most endangered woodpeckers in the world.[2] Overall, that population is declining, principally because of habitat loss.[1] Farming, logging, hurricane damage and the caged bird trade—trappers bring down whole palm trees in order to capture nestling parrots[5][6]—are combining to squeeze the remaining birds into smaller and smaller isolated tracts.[2] In addition, West Indian Woodpeckers have been observed killing the chicks of Fernandina's Flickers.[6]
[edit] Sources
[edit] Citations
- ^ a b c d BirdLife International Species factsheet: Colaptes fernandinae. BirdLife International. Retrieved on 2007-12-07.
- ^ a b c d e f g Leonard, Pat (Summer 2007). "Fernandina's Flicker: Flashy flickers are few and far between". BirdScope 21 (3): 20.
- ^ a b c d e Raffaele, Herbert; James Wiley, Orlando Garrido, Allan Keith & Janis Raffaele (1998). A Guide to the Birds of the West Indies. Princeton University Press, 349. ISBN 0-691-08736-9.
- ^ a b Winkler & Christie 2002, p. 514
- ^ Mitchell, Andy; Lyn Wells. "The threatened birds of Cuba project report". Cotinga 7 (1): 69–71.
- ^ a b Wechsler, Doug (Mar-Apr 1998). "Dark times for Cuba's Sabal palms - endangered trees of Zapata Swamp". International Wildlife.
[edit] References
Winkler, Hans & Christie, David A. (2002), “Family Picidae (Woodpeckers)”, Handbook of the Birds of the World, Volume 7: Jacamars to Woodpeckers, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 296-555, ISBN 84-87334-37-7
[edit] External links
- Fernandina's Flicker photos from the Visual Resources for Ornithology department of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences
- Fernandina's Flicker videos from Handbook of the Birds of the World's Internet Bird Collection
- Fernandina's Flicker on stamps
