Gecinulus grantia
The Pale-headed Woodpecker (*Gecinulus grantia*) is a strikingly unique member of the Picidae family, immediately recognizable by its eponymous pale, often yellowish-white or buffy head, contrasting sharply with its olive-green body plumage. Measuring approximately 23-26 cm (9-10 inches) in length and weighing 80-120 grams, it's a medium-sized woodpecker. Males are distinguished by a small but vibrant crimson patch on the nape, a feature absent in the plainer-headed female, exhibiting mild se...
Found in subtropical and tropical moist lowland forests, including evergreen and mixed deciduous types, often in foothills and secondary growth, typically between 300-1,800 meters elevation.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding extensively on ants and termites, as well as their larvae and pupae. Foraging is predominantly on decaying wood and bamboo.
Pale-headed Woodpeckers are generally diurnal, active throughout the day foraging and maintaining their territory. They are primarily solitary or seen in pairs, moving stealthily through the lower and mid-canopy strata. Foraging involves pecking, gleaning, and probing into dead or decaying wood, ...
The Pale-headed Woodpecker is resident across a significant portion of Southeast Asia and parts of the Indian subcontinent. Its distribution spans northeastern India (specifically Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur), Bangladesh, and extends eastward through Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambo...
Least Concern
- Unlike many woodpeckers known for vibrant head markings, the Pale-headed Woodpecker lives up to its name with a strikingly unadorned, pale yellow-white head. - The male's only splash of bright color is a small crimson patch on the nape, making it one of the more subtly adorned woodpecker specie...