Photo: Prataap Gurung / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Greater Flameback
Chrysocolaptes guttacristatus
Greater Flameback (Chrysocolaptes guttacristatus) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Greater Flameback (Chrysocolaptes guttacristatus) is a member of the Picidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 166 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 Chrysocolaptes
- Species guttacristatus
Where it lives
Southeastern India, Himalayas east to Malay Pen. and Greater Sundas
Quick facts
- Weight
- 166 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Picidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Greater Flameback is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Greater Flameback is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Greater Flameback (Chrysocolaptes guttacristatus) is a species of bird in the Picidae family, part of the order Piciformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, OR se India, Himalayas e to Malay Pen. and Greater Sundas.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 166 g, with a wing length of about 16.6 cm and a tail of around 9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 2.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Greater Flameback?
The Greater Flameback is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 166 g.
Where does the Greater Flameback live?
The Greater Flameback is found across Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering PAL, OR se India, Himalayas e to Malay Pen. and Greater Sundas, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Greater Flameback belong to?
The Greater Flameback (Chrysocolaptes guttacristatus) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Greater Flameback eat?
The Greater Flameback is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Greater Flameback migrate?
The Greater Flameback is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Greater Flameback 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 Greater Flameback make?
1 real field recording of the Greater Flameback — 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 Greater Flameback's range?
The Greater Flameback 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.