Photo: Bruno Geisler / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Stierling’s Woodpecker
Dendropicos stierlingi
Stierling's Woodpecker (Dendropicos stierlingi) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Stierling’s Woodpecker (Dendropicos stierlingi) is a member of the Picidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 28 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 stierlingi
Quick facts
- Weight
- 28 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Picidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Stierling’s Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Stierling’s Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Stierling’s Woodpecker (Dendropicos stierlingi) belongs to the Picidae family of the order Piciformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF s Tanzania, s Malawi and nw Mozambique.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 28 g, with a wing length of about 10 cm and a tail of around 4.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 211,000 km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Stierling’s Woodpecker?
The Stierling’s Woodpecker is a small bird that weighs around 28 g.
Where does the Stierling’s Woodpecker live?
The Stierling’s Woodpecker is found across Africa with a range covering AF s Tanzania, s Malawi and nw Mozambique, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Stierling’s Woodpecker belong to?
The Stierling’s Woodpecker (Dendropicos stierlingi) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Stierling’s Woodpecker eat?
The Stierling’s Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Stierling’s Woodpecker migrate?
The Stierling’s Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Stierling’s 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.
How large is the Stierling’s Woodpecker's range?
The Stierling’s Woodpecker has a mapped global range of about 211,000 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.