Photo: Collaertsbrothers / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Ashy Woodpecker
Mulleripicus fulvus
Ashy Woodpecker (Mulleripicus fulvus) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Ashy Woodpecker (Mulleripicus fulvus) is a member of the Picidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 312 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Piciformes
- Family Picidae Woodpeckers
- Genus Mulleripicus
- Species fulvus
Where it lives
Sulawesi, Mantehage (=Manterawu, northwest of northeastern Sulawesi), Lembeh (east of northeastern Sulawesi), Togian Is. (between northeastern and east-central Sulawesi) and Muna and Butung (=Buton; southeast of southeastern Sulawesi)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 312 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Picidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Ashy 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 Ashy Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Ashy Woodpecker (Mulleripicus fulvus) belongs to the Picidae family of the order Piciformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Sulawesi, Mantehage (=Manterawu, nw of ne Sulawesi), Lembeh (e of ne Sulawesi), Togian Is. (between ne and ec Sulawesi) and Muna and Butung (=Buton; se of se Sulawesi).
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 312 g, with a wing length of about 18 cm and a tail of around 16.6 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 104,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Ashy Woodpecker?
The Ashy Woodpecker is a large bird that weighs around 312 g.
Where does the Ashy Woodpecker live?
The Ashy Woodpecker is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Sulawesi, Mantehage (=Manterawu, nw of ne Sulawesi), Lembeh (e of ne Sulawesi), Togian Is. (between ne and ec Sulawesi) and Muna and Butung (=Buton; se of se Sulawesi), where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Ashy Woodpecker belong to?
The Ashy Woodpecker (Mulleripicus fulvus) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Ashy Woodpecker eat?
The Ashy Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Ashy Woodpecker migrate?
The Ashy Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Ashy 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 Ashy Woodpecker make?
1 real field recording of the Ashy 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 Ashy Woodpecker's range?
The Ashy Woodpecker has a mapped global range of about 104,000 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.