Family Woodpeckers (Picidae)
Least Concern
Himalayan Woodpecker (Dendrocopos himalayensis)
Taxonomy
French: Pic de l’Himalaya German: Himalajaspecht Spanish: Pico del Himalaya
Other common names:
Himalayan Pied Woodpecker
Taxonomy:
Picus himalayensis
Jardine and Selby
, 1831,Mussoorie, near Dehra Dun, northern India
.
Subspecies and Distribution
D. h. albescens
(E. C. S. Baker, 1926) – NE Afghanistan (Safed Koh) and N Pakistan to N India (Himachal Pradesh).
D. h. himalayensis
(Jardine & Selby, 1835) – E Himachal Pradesh E to W Nepal.
Descriptive notes
23–25 cm; 57–85 g. Male has pale buff-white forehead, crimson-red crown to upper nape usually with some black or grey feather bases showing (especially forecrown... read more
Voice
Single “kit”, much like that of D. major; also rapid high “chissik-chissik”, and fast “tri... read more
Habitat
Rather dense, dry to wet, extensive coniferous forest, also oak (Quercus) and rhododendron... read more
Food and feeding
Insects and their larvae, other arthropods; also plant matter, possibly including sap. Takes wood-boring beetle larvae, weevils (... read more
Breeding
Laying in second half Apr and first half May. Aerial pursuits near nest. Nest-hole excavated by both sexes, mostly by male, at 1·5–15... read more
Movements
Largely resident; some local movement to lower hills may occur in winter.
Status and conservation
Not globally threatened. Common in Pakistan; fairly common in India and Nepal; the commonest woodpecker in most of its range. No known threats, and seems unlikely to suffer... read more
A member of the D. major species-group (which see). Races intergrade in N India. Two subspecies recognized.