Meiglyptes jugularis
The Black-and-buff Woodpecker (Meiglyptes jugularis) is a distinctive member of the Picidae family, closely related to other members of its genus like the Black-and-red Woodpecker. Measuring approximately 18-20 cm (7-8 inches) in length and weighing around 40-50 grams, this medium-sized woodpecker presents a striking appearance. Its plumage is predominantly black with contrasting buff or pale yellow markings, particularly noticeable on its heavily barred underparts and wings. A key field mark...
This species primarily inhabits lowland and submontane broadleaf evergreen forests, often favoring secondary growth, forest edges, and bamboo thickets, up to elevations of about 1,000 meters.
Its diet primarily consists of insects, with a strong preference for ants and termites, as well as various beetle larvae, gleaned from bark and probed from decaying wood.
The Black-and-buff Woodpecker is a diurnal species, typically observed alone or in pairs, sometimes joining mixed-species foraging flocks in the forest understory. Its foraging strategy involves gleaning insects from bark surfaces, probing into crevices, and occasionally delivering light pecks to...
The Black-and-buff Woodpecker is a resident species distributed across mainland Southeast Asia and parts of the Sundaic region. Its breeding range encompasses eastern Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, extending south through Peninsular Malaysia. It is also found on the island of Sum...
Least Concern
- The Black-and-buff Woodpecker's scientific genus, *Meiglyptes*, means 'honey-scraper', although its diet consists almost entirely of insects. - Unlike many woodpeckers that drum loudly to declare territory, this species' drumming is often described as rather soft or subtle. - It often forages m...