The little grey woodpecker, also known as the Sahelian woodpecker, is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It is found in Cameroon, Chad, Gambia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and Sudan. This species is described as somewhat rare, but it has a very large range and the population appears to be steady, so the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".
Region
Sahel and adjacent West–Central Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs from Senegal and Gambia east through Mauritania, Mali, Niger, northern Nigeria and Cameroon, Chad, to western Sudan. Prefers dry Acacia and Sahelian savanna, thorn-scrub, and open parkland with scattered trees. Frequently uses riparian gallery strips and wooded village edges where suitable dead limbs remain. Avoids dense rainforest and very open treeless desert, tracking tree-lined habitats within semi-arid zones.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1500 m
Climate Zone
Arid
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also called the Sahelian woodpecker, this small species inhabits semi-arid savannas across the Sahel from Senegal to Sudan. It is generally unobtrusive and forages quietly on thin branches and small trunks, probing rather than heavy hammering. Although considered somewhat rare locally, it has a wide range and is assessed as Least Concern. Ongoing loss of mature trees in Sahelian parklands can affect local nesting sites.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
undulating with short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Typically seen singly or in pairs, occasionally with family groups after breeding. Both sexes excavate a nest cavity in soft or dead wood, often in Acacia or similar trees. Clutch size is usually small, and both parents share incubation and feeding duties.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are soft, thin 'tik' or 'peek' notes and brief high-pitched sequences. Drumming is light and short, usually on small dead branches, and used primarily for territorial signaling.
Plumage
Small, slim woodpecker with overall pale grey to grey-brown tones, finely barred or mottled on the back and wings and lightly streaked below. Underparts are paler with subtle streaking; back shows narrow dark and pale barring. Feathers appear tight and smooth on the head and mantle, with slightly more patterned scapulars.
Diet
Feeds mainly on ants, termites, beetle larvae, and other small arthropods gleaned from bark, branch tips, and dead twigs. Probes crevices and pecks lightly rather than prolonged heavy chiseling. Will take small quantities of fruit or sap opportunistically when available.
Preferred Environment
Forages on thin branches, small trunks, and dead limbs in Acacia savanna, thorn scrub, and wooded parkland. Often works lower to mid-levels of trees and along riparian strips where insect activity is concentrated.
