White-bellied Woodpecker

The white-bellied woodpecker, or great black woodpecker, is among the largest Asian woodpeckers, 40–48 cm long and 197–350 g, behind only the great slaty and black woodpeckers in size. It is closely related to the northern black woodpecker and the North American pileated woodpecker. Populations differ in the extent of white; the Indian subspecies has whitish underwing coverts and a white rump, and its face lacks white (Wikipedia, general species account).

It inhabits evergreen forests in the tropical Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. The Indian subspecies breeds from January to May, mainly in large dead trees, often the same tree year after year, laying two white eggs. Its drumming and calls are louder than those of smaller woodpeckers, from a short sharp kuk to more intoned kyuk, kew and kee-yow. Solitary adults may spend an hour foraging at one suitable tree. SoIB 2023 rates it a Moderate conservation priority, a resident forest bird with a rapid long-term decline of about 62% and a Moderate range (Wikipedia, general species account; SoIB 2023).