Photo: Dibyendu Ash / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Great Slaty Woodpecker
Mulleripicus pulverulentus
Great Slaty Woodpecker (Mulleripicus pulverulentus) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Great Slaty Woodpecker (Mulleripicus pulverulentus) is a member of the Picidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 450 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Vulnerable.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Piciformes
- Family Picidae Woodpeckers
- Genus Mulleripicus
- Species pulverulentus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 450 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Picidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Great Slaty 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 Great Slaty Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Great Slaty Woodpecker (Mulleripicus pulverulentus) is a member of the Picidae family, within the order Piciformes. Its range spans South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR widespread.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 450 g, with a wing length of about 23.9 cm and a tail of around 17.1 cm.
It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 2.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Great Slaty Woodpecker?
The Great Slaty Woodpecker is a large bird that weighs around 450 g.
Where does the Great Slaty Woodpecker live?
The Great Slaty Woodpecker is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR widespread, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Great Slaty Woodpecker belong to?
The Great Slaty Woodpecker (Mulleripicus pulverulentus) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Great Slaty Woodpecker eat?
The Great Slaty Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Great Slaty Woodpecker migrate?
The Great Slaty Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Great Slaty Woodpecker endangered?
It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.
What sound does the Great Slaty Woodpecker make?
1 real field recording of the Great Slaty 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 Great Slaty Woodpecker's range?
The Great Slaty Woodpecker has a mapped global range of about 2.5 million km².
Conservation
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.
Meet the Picidae
A field guide to the Picidae family — 239 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.