Yellow-faced Flameback Chrysocolaptes xanthocephalus Scientific name definitions

c. 28–30 cm. A highly distinctive woodpecker, somewhat smaller than its closest relatives. Male has crown and crest red, rest of head, neck and entire underparts golden-yellow; indistinct narrow blackish malar stripe (sometimes absent), dark feather edges on neck down to uppermost breast; upperparts, including upperwing-coverts, crimson (often with golden wash), rump red; flight-feathers dark brown with whitish spots on inner webs, tail blackish; long bill slightly chisel-tipped, straight, broad across nostrils, pale yellow; iris red, paler orbital ring; legs pale grey. Female differs from male in having entire head yellow, often tinged orange on crest. Juvenile poorly known.

Until recently, considered a subspecies in the C. lucidus group of taxa (C. guttacristatus, C. stricklandi, C. strictus, C. erythrocephalus, C. haematribon, C. lucidus and C. xanthocephalus). Differs from C.haematribon in its all-yellow face (both sexes) (3), yellow crown (female) (3), brighter red crown (male), back and wings (1), less dense and contrasting spotting on throat (ns[1]), pale (dirty pink) legs (ns[1]), and almost plain dull yellow underparts (ns[1]); differs from C. lucidus in first two characters (yellow face and female crown) (6), plain yellow belly (2), and pale legs (ns[1]) (1 Collar, N.J. (2011). Species limits in some Philippine birds including the Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes lucidus. Forktail. 27: 29–38. Close ); differs from C. erythrocephalus in its red back (3), golden-yellow head sides (3), lack of blackish ear-covert spot (ns[1]), yellow vs pinkish chin (ns[1]), all-yellow crown and crest (female) (ns[1]), and virtually plain all-yellow underparts (2). Monotypic.

C Philippines: Ticao, Masbate, Panay, Guimaras and Negros.

Emits fast, often squeaky-sounding trill  , “di-di-di-di-di”, similar to that of congeners. No information on drumming.

ENDANGERED. Apparently rare, with few recent records. Global population currently put in band 250–999 mature individuals, but considered not to exceed 500. Numbers almost certainly still declining as a result of continuing loss and degradation of habitat. On the two larger islands, habitat loss has been extensive: primary forest almost totally destroyed on Negros (where just 4% of any type of forest cover remained in 1988) and on Panay (8% remained). If not already extinct on Ticao, Masbate and Guimaras, any surviving populations there must be exceedingly small. Clearance for agriculture, timber and charcoal-burning continues to pose a serious threat to remaining fragments of forest. In 2002, forest at all elevations on Negros and Panay was calculated to total no more than 501 km² and 984 km², respectively (2 Curio, E. (2002). Prioritisation of Philippine island avifaunas for conservation: a new combinatorial measure. Biological Conservation 106:373–380. Close ); current figures, more than a decade later, are certainly much lower, and lowland forest, this species’ primary habitat, accounts for an increasingly small proportion of the total. Indeed, there may be little, if any, suitable forest left on Ticao, Masbate and Guimaras. Surveys in potentially suitable habitat are urgently required in order to estimate population and densities, and to calculate extent of suitable habitat remaining, so enabling population estimate to be refined. Conservation measures should include the encouraging of careful reforestation activities around remaining forests, and, importantly, enforcement of laws to prevent the small-scale illegal logging that is currently widespread and uncontrolled.