Photo: Darked / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Levaillant’s Woodpecker
Picus vaillantii
Levaillant's Woodpecker (Picus vaillantii) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of Africa.
Found on 1 guide in our atlas — open it for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Levaillant’s Woodpecker (Picus vaillantii) is a member of the Picidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 176 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 Picus
- Species vaillantii
Quick facts
- Weight
- 176 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Picidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Levaillant’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 forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Levaillant’s Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Levaillant’s Woodpecker (Picus vaillantii) is a member of the Picidae family, within the order Piciformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF Morocco to Tunisia.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 176 g, with a wing length of about 15.4 cm and a tail of around 9.9 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 344,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Levaillant’s Woodpecker?
The Levaillant’s Woodpecker is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 176 g.
Where does the Levaillant’s Woodpecker live?
The Levaillant’s Woodpecker is found across Africa with a range covering AF Morocco to Tunisia, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Levaillant’s Woodpecker belong to?
The Levaillant’s Woodpecker (Picus vaillantii) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Levaillant’s Woodpecker eat?
The Levaillant’s Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Levaillant’s Woodpecker migrate?
The Levaillant’s Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Levaillant’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.
What sound does the Levaillant’s Woodpecker make?
1 real field recording of the Levaillant’s Woodpecker — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Levaillant’s Woodpecker's range?
The Levaillant’s Woodpecker has a mapped global range of about 344,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Picidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Woodpeckers & Toucans
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Endangered
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.