Ashy Woodpecker Mulleripicus fulvus Scientific name definitions

c. 40 cm. Large, long-tailed woodpecker. Male has dark red on forehead, lores, cheeks and malar area, red usually to central crown and front of ear-coverts, but often more restricted at rear, sometimes a few dark feather bases visible, e.g. forming dark line on lores; dark grey rear head and hindneck, and paler grey-buff chin, throat and foreneck, all with very small whitish spots; upperparts dark grey-brown to blackish-slate, a little paler on tail-coverts, a shade darker on wings, occasionally some pale spots or shaft streaks (especially on tail-coverts); uppertail dark grey-brown to blackish-grey; rich buff to creamy yellowish-brown below , rather greyer on breast, often washed yellow-grey on flanks (underparts frequently stained dark reddish or ochre by ­foraging activities); underwing pale brownish-grey to dark grey; undertail pale brown to grey, washed yellow; long bill slightly chisel-tipped, culmen curved, narrow across nostrils, black; iris pale yellow, orbital skin grey; legs greenish-grey, or tinged bluish. Female has red of head replaced by dark grey, all but forehead very finely spotted pale. Juvenile much as adult but duller, more spotted, with red on face, male with less than adult, red on female even less. Race <em>wallacei</em> has slightly longer wing and longer tail than nominate, but shorter bill, plumage perhaps a shade paler, red on head of male brighter and far more extensive.

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Race wallacei fairly distinctive, with more extensive red on head, tail markedly blacker (more consistent with colour of rest of upperparts), and extremely subtle variation in proportions (marginally shorter-billed but longer-winged and longer-tailed); if vocally distinct, a case would exist for its specific separation. The two probably intergrade in Togian Is (1 Indrawan, M., S. Somadikarta, J. Supriatna, M. D. Bruce, Sunarto, and G. Djanubudiman (2006). The birds of the Togian Islands, central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Forktail 22:7–22. Close ). Two subspecies recognized.

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Termites (Isoptera), caterpillars; presumably also other arthropods. In pairs, or family groups of up to 5 birds. Most commonly seen foraging on tree trunks . Indirect evidence indicates at least occasional ground-foraging; probably breaks into termite mounds.

Laughing  rapid “hew-hew-hew-hew-hew-hew” or “tuk tuk tuk”, muffled, not loud. Drums  in breeding season.