Family Woodpeckers (Picidae)
Least Concern
Luzon Flameback (Chrysocolaptes haematribon)
Taxonomy
French: Pic de Luçon German: Luzonsultanspecht Spanish: Pito sultán de Luzón
Taxonomy:
Picus Haematribon
Wagler
, 1827,India? = Luzon, Philippines
.Distribution:
N Philippines: Luzon, Polillo, Marinduque and Catanduanes.
Descriptive notes
c. 28–32 cm; 110–145 g. Male has dull red crown and crest bordered below by thin black line, long whitish supercilium broken by black spotting, moustachial and malar regions... read more
Voice
Emits rapid staccato series of notes, “di-di-di-di”, similar to calls of congeners. Details of... read more
Habitat
Primary forest, secondary forest, plantations; requires presence of at least some large trees.... read more
Food and feeding
Few data. Presumably feeds on small invertebrates such as ants and beetles. Often in pairs.
Breeding
No specific information. Season presumably during period Jan–May.
Movements
Sedentary.
Status and conservation
Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Not uncommon to locally fairly common. Global population not yet quantified. Believed to be declining in numbers as a result of... read more
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 geographically adjacent and morphologically closest relative, C. lucidus (sensu stricto; see that species), in having black vs dirty yellow ground colour of female’s head (3); blackish ear-coverts and rear neck sides (2); no extensive broad buff spotting on underparts but, instead, more densely spotted with smaller spots on throat (2), cutting rapidly to a very weakly marked dirty yellowish-tinged buff from mid-breast to vent with obsolete soft-edged scaling or barring (ns[1]); and slightly more crimson (less scarlet) crown (male) and upperparts (ns[1])#R. Proposed race grandis (Polillo) considered too poorly differentiated to warrant recognition; described forms montium (N Luzon) and ramosi (S Luzon) likewise invalid. Monotypic.