Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Little Grey Woodpecker
Dendropicos elachus
Little Grey Woodpecker (Dendropicos elachus) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of Africa.
The Little Grey Woodpecker (Dendropicos elachus) is a member of the Picidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 18.4 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Piciformes
- Family Picidae Woodpeckers
- Genus Dendropicos
- Species elachus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 18.4 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Picidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Little Grey Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Little Grey Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Little Grey Woodpecker (Dendropicos elachus) is a member of the Picidae family, within the order Piciformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF s Mauritania and n Senegal; Mali to w Sudan.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 18.4 g, with a wing length of about 7.8 cm and a tail of around 3.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.6 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Little Grey Woodpecker?
The Little Grey Woodpecker is a small bird that weighs around 18.4 g.
Where does the Little Grey Woodpecker live?
The Little Grey Woodpecker is found across Africa with a range covering AF s Mauritania and n Senegal; Mali to w Sudan, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Little Grey Woodpecker belong to?
The Little Grey Woodpecker (Dendropicos elachus) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Little Grey Woodpecker eat?
The Little Grey Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Little Grey Woodpecker migrate?
The Little Grey Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Little Grey Woodpecker endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Little Grey Woodpecker make?
1 real field recording of the Little Grey Woodpecker — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Little Grey Woodpecker's range?
The Little Grey Woodpecker has a mapped global range of about 1.6 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Suet Feeders for Woodpeckers
How to choose a suet feeder for woodpeckers — the styles compared, why a tail prop helps, and how to keep starlings off. A decision framework with the woodpecker species in the Birbs encyclopedia.
Meet the Picidae
A field guide to the Picidae family — 239 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.