Yellow-crested Woodpecker

Chloropicus xantholophus

Woodpeckers · Piciformes · Rare

The Yellow-crested Woodpecker (Chloropicus xantholophus) is a rare woodpecker found in 10 countries. The yellow-crested woodpecker, also known as the golden-crowned woodpecker, is a species of bird in the family Picidae.

Least ConcernRare

About the Yellow-crested Woodpecker

The yellow-crested woodpecker, also known as the golden-crowned woodpecker, is a species of bird in the family Picidae. Some taxonomic authorities place this species in Dendropicos. Its typical habitat is wet tropical forest and it is found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Nigeria, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

How to identify it

The yellow-crested woodpecker grows to a length of 22 to 25 cm (9 to 10 in). The male has a small golden patch with black flecking on the crown, most noticeable in display, but the female lacks this. In other respects, the sexes are similar, the forehead being brown and the cheeks and throat whitish; there is a broad black streak through the eye which extends to the sides of the neck. The nape is black and the upper parts of the body are dull brownish-olive, usually plain but sometimes slightly barred. The rump and upper tail coverts are yellowish and the tail chocolate-brown.

Where it lives

When to see it

Best months: January, February, March, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in July. It is a resident species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

How do you identify a Yellow-crested Woodpecker?
The yellow-crested woodpecker grows to a length of 22 to 25 cm (9 to 10 in). Full identification notes are on this page.
Where can you see a Yellow-crested Woodpecker?
The Yellow-crested Woodpecker occurs in 10 countries, including Uganda, Kenya, Angola, Congo - Kinshasa and Cameroon.
What birds look similar to a Yellow-crested Woodpecker?
The Yellow-crested Woodpecker is most easily confused with the Fire-bellied Woodpecker and the Bearded Woodpecker.
Is the Yellow-crested Woodpecker endangered?
The Yellow-crested Woodpecker is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Yellow-crested Woodpecker for real

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