Black-headed Woodpecker
Picus erythropygius
The Black-headed Woodpecker (Picus erythropygius) is a rare woodpecker found in 4 countries, weighing about 116 g. The black-headed woodpecker is a species of bird in the family Picidae.
About the Black-headed Woodpecker
The black-headed woodpecker is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It typically inhabits deciduous and coniferous forests and is found in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The black-headed woodpecker is a medium-sized bird at around 33 cm tall and 100-135g. Adult birds have very distinct plumage and have a black face, yellow throat, green wings, a red lower back, and a white stomach. They also have white/yellow eyes and some individuals have a thin white line from their eye to their neck. Males have a red crown, while females have a completely black crown with no red. Juveniles are less pigmented than adults and juvenile males have fewer red crown feathers on their heads. Voice: Their song is a loud series of yelps that sound similar to laughing. These yelps ("ka-tek-a-tek-a-tek-a-tek" or "cha-cha-cha, cha-cha-cha") are rapidly repeated and the first note is emphasized.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, May, June, July, October, November, December, with peak activity in February. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Black-headed Woodpecker?
- The black-headed woodpecker is a medium-sized bird at around 33 cm tall and 100-135g. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Black-headed Woodpecker?
- The Black-headed Woodpecker is a medium sized bird weighing about 116 g.
- Where can you see a Black-headed Woodpecker?
- The Black-headed Woodpecker occurs in 4 countries, including Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos.
- What birds look similar to a Black-headed Woodpecker?
- The Black-headed Woodpecker is most easily confused with the Crimson-winged Woodpecker, the Levaillant's Woodpecker and the Scaly-bellied Woodpecker.
- Is the Black-headed Woodpecker endangered?
- The Black-headed Woodpecker is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Black-headed Woodpecker for real
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