Heart-spotted Woodpecker (Hemicicus canente)
Order: PICIFORMES
Family: PICIDAE Woodpeckers
Scientific name: Hemicicus canente
English name: Heart-spotted Woodpecker
Characteristic: Size 15 cm. A black-and-white small woodpecker with long black crest and shot tail; upperpart black; wings black with yellowish transverse bands, in which there are a row of black heart-shaped spots; rump milky white; hindneck black; throat white; belly dark grey. A male has black forehead, while a female has pale forehead.
Distribution: India, Myanmar, Thailand and Indo-China.
Habitat: Mixed deciduous forest, evergreen forest, forest edges, from the plain to the 900 m. altitude. In Sakaerat forest, it lives in dry dipterocarp forest and forest plantation.
Habit: Frequently seen solitarily or in pairs perching more on branches and tree tops than on tree trunks. It keeps on circling around the branch and inspects most of bark cracks for worms and insects hiding under the barks. Normally observed in the hours of strong sunlight. Breeding starts in March to April, nest located in tree cavity, about 3-4 m. above the ground; nest opening is always under the branch. A clutch of white 2-3 eggs will be deposited. Both parent share in nest excavation, incubation and taking care of nestlings. The incubation time lasts 12-13 days
Status: A resident woodpecker, seldomly seen in Sakaerat area. Protected by law as a protected wild animal.
