Black-headed Woodpecker Picus erythropygius Scientific name definitions

33 cm; 100–135 g. Male has black forehead, lores and cheeks to nape, red patch in centre of crown and sometimes down to eye; a few (both sexes and both races) have a thin whitish line from eye over ear-coverts; neck side, chin and throat to upper breast bright yellow, often tinged olive on upper breast; yellow-green mantle and back, bright red lower back and rump to central uppertail-coverts, tail-coverts otherwise olive-green with indistinct black shaft streaks; wing-coverts darker green, less tinged yellow; primary coverts and flight-feathers blackish, latter with 5 or 6 broad white bars; uppertail blackish, central feathers edged green with obscure pale bars near base; lower breast brownish-white with faint chevrons, paler and whitish with heavier dark chevrons on flanks and belly; white undertail-coverts heavily barred dark brown; underwing whitish, blackish bars across flight-feathers; rather narrow pointed bill, slightly curved culmen, greyish-horn to yellow, darker tip; iris whitish to lemon-yellow, narrow orbital ring slate-grey; legs pale grey to grey-green. Female has crown entirely black. Juvenile less yellow above than adult, throat paler, upper breast buff, markings below more diffuse, male with some red feather tips on central crown. Race <em>nigrigenis</em> is very like nominate, but has blackish bill , male perhaps with more red in crown.

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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), also ants and other invertebrates. Usually in small, noisy groups of 2–6 birds, often associated with jays or treepies (Corvidae). Forages in canopy and in understorey; seems also to descend to lower levels, e.g. to stumps and the ground. Active and restless, constantly on the move through forest.

Distinctive undulating yelping laugh “ka-tek-a-tek-a-tek-a-tek” or “cha-cha-cha, cha-cha-cha” , rapidly repeated, stress on first note in each series.