Dendropicos fuscescens
The Cardinal Woodpecker is the smallest of its kind occurring in South Africa, with adults measuring around 15cm long and weighing in at about 30g. They inhabit a wide range of woody habitats, ranging from forest edges to arid savanna, where they feed mainly on insects and their larvae extracted from inside rotting wood or under bark.
Cardinal Woodpeckers are usually seen singly or in pairs or family groups, and often associate with other bird species while foraging. The breeding season stretches through spring and summer, but the monogamous pairs stay together throughout the year. They nest in holes hammered into dead trees or branches and sometimes fence posts. Both sexes incubate the clutch of 1-3 eggs for a period of 2 weeks. The chicks fledge at around a month old and become independent about two months later.
The Cardinal Woodpecker is widely distributed over sub-Saharan Africa, with the exception of some parts of the equatorial forests. In South Africa they can be found in all provinces, though they are abscent from large parts of the open and arid Northern Cape. The IUCN lists it as being of least concern.
DeWetsWild 
The colourful cap looks so sweet 🙂
A very noticeable feature, isn’t it!?
Given his colourful red cap, I can guess why he’s called Cardinal 🙂
Apt name, isn’t it!? 😀
Hi guys. More fantastic photos. I occasionally get these woodpecker in the trees of my garden, eating the worms and ants on the bark, but unfortunately they do not nest in my trees. The cardinal woodpecker is a very attractive bird.
That just means your trees are as healthy as the terrific assortment of fauna that thrive in your garden, Kim!
Good, I’m pleased to hear that.
Bravo! The little ones can disappear when threatened perhaps and the adults may be innocuous enough to not be a target. I like them already.
They are so well adapted to their niche in life!
Handsome woodpecker, although it looks underfed!
I think our warmer weather means that many birds here carry a less thick plumage than their cousins in cooler climes might, Hien.
Een het laasjaar ‘n nes begin maak in ‘n ou wilgeboom hier by my. Ek was verstom dat so klein dingetjie so hard kon werk. Ons het die boom laat bly staan sodat die houtkappertjie sy huis kon hou. Ek sien hom/haar nie meer nie. Die droogte van 2015/16 het die boom se einde beteken maar dit huisves nog lewe.
Hulle sal tien-teen-een weer die ou boom se geraamte kom opsoek, en jou baie dankbaar wees!
It really looks like the cartoon Woody Woodpecker. What a sweetie.
Oh yes they are!
Very beautiful woodpecker.😊We have 7 different woodpeckers here in Sweden, but I have only seen one of them.
That’s a very rich diversity of woodpeckers, John! The natural forests in Scandinavia must be well looked after!
I love woodies, and that is a gorgeous one!
They’re absolutely fascinating in so many ways!
How beautiful.
Very pretty little birds!
I love woodpeckers and that’s a pretty one, although I wonder that they don’t have headaches all the time. 🙂
janet
Their heads and brains must have some amazing physiological adaptations to make the hammering bearable!
Maybe a wizard could give him a headache if he bothers you?
Oh no, Beth! I could never be bothered by something as beautiful and interesting!