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Photo: van Oort, P. van / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Maroon Woodpecker

Blythipicus rubiginosus

Maroon Woodpecker (Blythipicus rubiginosus) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of South & Southeast Asia.

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The Maroon Woodpecker (Blythipicus rubiginosus) is a member of the Picidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 81.9 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Piciformes
  3. Family Picidae Woodpeckers
  4. Genus Blythipicus
  5. Species rubiginosus

Where it lives

Malay Pen., Sumatra and Borneo

Quick facts

Weight
81.9 g
Family
Picidae
Order
Piciformes
Habitat
Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Maroon Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Behaviour

A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.

Migration

The Maroon Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Maroon Woodpecker (Blythipicus rubiginosus) belongs to the Picidae family of the order Piciformes. It occurs naturally across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Malay Pen., Sumatra and Borneo.

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 81.9 g, with a wing length of about 11.9 cm and a tail of around 6.4 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.3 million km².

Songs & calls

Maroon Woodpecker — Call

Recorded by Ding Li Yong Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Maroon Woodpecker?

The Maroon Woodpecker is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 81.9 g.

Where does the Maroon Woodpecker live?

The Maroon Woodpecker is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Malay Pen., Sumatra and Borneo, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.

What family does the Maroon Woodpecker belong to?

The Maroon Woodpecker (Blythipicus rubiginosus) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.

What does the Maroon Woodpecker eat?

The Maroon Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Does the Maroon Woodpecker migrate?

The Maroon Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Maroon Woodpecker endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Maroon Woodpecker make?

1 real field recording of the Maroon Woodpecker — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Maroon Woodpecker's range?

The Maroon Woodpecker has a mapped global range of about 1.3 million km².

Conservation

Least Concern

Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.

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Guides for this bird

Best Suet Feeders for Woodpeckers

How to choose a suet feeder for woodpeckers — the styles compared, why a tail prop helps, and how to keep starlings off. A decision framework with the woodpecker species in the Birbs encyclopedia.

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Meet the Picidae

A field guide to the Picidae family — 239 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.

1 min read

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