Common Flameback vs Himalayan Flameback

Common Flameback

Dinopium javanense

Medium73 gWoodland

Males and females differ in the crest colour, as males have a bright red crest while females have a black crest with white streaks. Both sexes have a white supercilium, white cheek stripe, and white throat area, all separated by stripes of black, and they have a spotted black and white underside. The bird is distinguishable from other similar golden-backed woodpeckers, such as the greater flameback (Chrysocolaptes guttacristatus), by its smaller bill and black nape, and from the black-rumped flameback by its red rump and white throat. Voice: The common flameback is a relatively quiet species, who rarely produces noise despite being able to produce many different sounds. Although it belongs to the woodpecker family, it surprisingly rarely drums on wood, as it has a different foraging behaviour.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Samuel Lee · CC BY 4.0

Himalayan Flameback

Dinopium shorii

Medium101 gForest

The Himalayan flameback is very similar in appearance to the Greater Goldenback (Chrysocolaptes lucidus) but they are not at all closely related. The primary differences are its smaller size and bill. The Himalayan flameback can be identified by its black hind neck, and the brownish center on its throat, which can go down the breast on some and is bordered by an irregular black spotting. They also have an indistinct divided moustachial stripe, the center of which is brownish, and sometimes reddish in males. The Himalayan flameback also has either reddish or brown eyes and three toes. Voice: The Himalayan flameback call is a series of rapidly repeated klak-klak-klak-klak-klak. The call is slower and softer than that of the Greater Goldenback.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Katie Sayers · CC0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Common Flameback and Himalayan Flameback.