Greater Yellownape

The greater yellownape is a large green woodpecker 33–34 cm long. Its golden-yellow nape and swept-back crest are conspicuous against an olive-green back, black tail and greyish underparts; the dark brown flight feathers are barred black and the bill often appears pale. Males have a creamy-yellow throat and moustachial area, whereas females show brown in those areas and a larger white patch spotted dark beneath the throat. This combination distinguishes it from smaller yellownapes (BirdForum species account, citing Winkler and Christie 2020).

It ranges from the Himalayas and southern China through mainland Southeast Asia to Sumatra, occupying montane and submontane evergreen or deciduous forest and forest edge. Birds usually work through the middle storey and canopy, alone or in loose groups, and can be noisy and conspicuous while searching bark and wood for beetles, ants, termites and larvae. Both adults excavate a nest cavity, commonly several metres above ground, share incubation and feed the young. The clutch contains two to four eggs (BirdForum species account).