Arabian Woodpecker Dendrocopos dorae is
an uncommon but widespread resident of the south-west highlands, Jebal Souda
plateau on the dry east side as well as at Raydah Farm on the Raydah escarpment
and Wadi Jaw at 1350 m are good areas to find the species as Talea Valley near
Abha, the areas around Tanoumah and around Al Baha. Birds are usually
associated with acacia trees but can be found in a variety of wooded habitats.
The species also occurs in the Tihama at Jebal Gaha and Raith. The Arabian
Woodpecker is a rather small, olive-brown woodpecker with white bars across its
wings and red patch on the rear of the head of a male. Both sexes show a pale
red patch down the centre of the belly. It has a distinct call which accelerates
and, then descends “kek-kek-kek-kek-kek-kek”. It is the only woodpecker
breeding in Arabia, has a typical woodpecker undulating flight, and only drums
weekly and infrequently. They occur locally in the Red Sea foothills and
western uplands of south-west Arabia, from the Yeman boarder to 26°N in Saudi
Arabia. It is generally uncommon to rare where it occurs with approximately
0.1-1.0 mature individuals per km2. The total population is therefore inferred
to be fewer than 10,000 mature individuals and it is classified as vulnerable
on the IUCN Red List 2006 as it has a small population of less than 10,000
mature birds, which is likely to be declining as a result of excessive cutting
and lopping of trees for charcoal, firewood and fodder. Birds occur in a wide
variety of fragmented woodland-types, from sea level up to 3,000 metres on
mountain slopes, including: groves of fig Ficus, date-palm Phoenix or pandan
Pandanus at lower altitudes; subtropical, evergreen riparian forest;
traditional shade-coffee plantations and well-developed succulent shrubland at
middle-altitudes; woods, groves and parklands of Acacia, Juniperus, Olea and
Dracaena at higher altitudes (often on slopes terraced for agriculture); and
old-established orchards in the highlands. Breeding records (February-May) are
restricted to the highlands (1,450-2,400 m) with the nest-site being a small
hole excavated in the trunk or major branch of a large tree.
