Photo: Dominic Sherony / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Bearded Woodpecker
Chloropicus namaquus
Bearded Woodpecker (Chloropicus namaquus) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of Africa.
Found across 5 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Bearded Woodpecker (Chloropicus namaquus) is a member of the Picidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 81.5 g.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Piciformes
- Family Picidae Woodpeckers
- Genus Chloropicus
- Species namaquus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 81.5 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 Bearded Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Bearded Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Bearded Woodpecker (Chloropicus namaquus) is a species of bird in the Picidae family, part of the order Piciformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF e, sc, se.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 81.5 g, with a wing length of about 12.6 cm and a tail of around 6.4 cm.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Bearded Woodpecker?
The Bearded Woodpecker is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 81.5 g.
Where does the Bearded Woodpecker live?
The Bearded Woodpecker is found across Africa with a range covering AF e, sc, se, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Bearded Woodpecker belong to?
The Bearded Woodpecker (Chloropicus namaquus) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Bearded Woodpecker eat?
The Bearded Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Bearded Woodpecker migrate?
The Bearded Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
What sound does the Bearded Woodpecker make?
1 real field recording of the Bearded Woodpecker — including its drumming — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
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.