Abyssinian Woodpecker (Dendropicos abyssinicus)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Abyssinian Woodpecker

Dendropicos abyssinicus (Stanley, 1814)

16 cmLength24 gWeight

The Abyssinian woodpecker (Dendropicos abyssinicus), also known as the golden-backed woodpecker or the golden-mantled woodpecker, is a species of bird in the woodpecker family, Picidae.

Busiest months: November–December · Most records: Ethiopia, Eritrea

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: November–December · Most records: Ethiopia, Eritrea

Abyssinian Woodpecker has been recorded at 19 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 2 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Wondo GenetEthiopia96 records
  2. Debre Libanos MonasteryEthiopia69 records
  3. Bale Mts – Dinsho Park HQEthiopia66 records
More places
  1. Addis Ababa – Ghion HotelEthiopia30 records
  2. Debre Libanos – Lodge and Portuguese BridgeEthiopia15 records
  3. Melka GhebduEthiopia4 records
  4. Gibe GorgeEthiopia4 records
  5. Bishangari LodgeEthiopia3 records
  6. Abidjatta-Shalla NPEthiopia2 records
  7. Filfil ForestEritrea1 record

Countries and regions with the most records

EthiopiaEritrea

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The Abyssinian woodpecker (Dendropicos abyssinicus), also known as the golden-backed woodpecker or the golden-mantled woodpecker, is a species of bird in the woodpecker family, Picidae. It is native to Africa, where it occurs in Eritrea and Ethiopia. It appears to be a close relative of the cardinal woodpecker Dendropicos fuscescens.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Abyssinian Woodpecker?

The Abyssinian Woodpecker is about 16 cm long and weighs around 24 g.

Where does the Abyssinian Woodpecker live?

Its breeding range: Africa: montane central Eritrea and central Ethiopia. It is most often recorded in Ethiopia and Eritrea.

When is the best time to see the Abyssinian Woodpecker?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in November and December (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Abyssinian Woodpecker endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Abyssinian Woodpecker as Least Concern.

What does the Abyssinian Woodpecker eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Abyssinian Woodpecker in?

It belongs to the family Woodpeckers (Picidae), order Piciformes.

At a glance

Length
16 cm
Weight
24 g
Habitat
Woodland
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
92 mm
Tail
45 mm
Bill
17 mm
Tarsus
15 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: montane central Eritrea and central Ethiopia

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Woodpeckers Picidae
Genus
Dendropicos

Other birds in the genus Dendropicos

Little Grey WoodpeckerLittle Grey WoodpeckerDendropicos elachusSpeckle-breasted WoodpeckerSpeckle-breasted WoodpeckerDendropicos poecilolaemusCardinal WoodpeckerCardinal WoodpeckerDendropicos fuscescensGabon WoodpeckerGabon WoodpeckerDendropicos gabonensisMelancholy WoodpeckerMelancholy WoodpeckerDendropicos lugubrisStierling's WoodpeckerStierling's WoodpeckerDendropicos stierlingiElliot's WoodpeckerElliot's WoodpeckerDendropicos elliotiiAfrican Grey WoodpeckerAfrican Grey WoodpeckerDendropicos goertaeEastern Grey WoodpeckerEastern Grey WoodpeckerDendropicos spodocephalusOlive WoodpeckerOlive WoodpeckerDendropicos griseocephalusBrown-backed WoodpeckerBrown-backed WoodpeckerDendropicos obsoletus
Abyssinian Woodpecker

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Nik Borrow. ↗

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