Photo: Prateik Kulkarni / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Himalayan Woodpecker
Dendrocopos himalayensis
Himalayan Woodpecker (Dendrocopos himalayensis) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Himalayan Woodpecker (Dendrocopos himalayensis) is a member of the Picidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 67.7 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 Dendrocopos
- Species himalayensis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 67.7 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Picidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Himalayan 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 Himalayan Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Himalayan Woodpecker (Dendrocopos himalayensis) belongs to the Picidae family of the order Piciformes. It is found across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL ne Afghanistan to w Nepal.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 67.7 g, with a wing length of about 12.8 cm and a tail of around 8.2 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 115,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Himalayan Woodpecker?
The Himalayan Woodpecker is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 67.7 g.
Where does the Himalayan Woodpecker live?
The Himalayan Woodpecker is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL ne Afghanistan to w Nepal, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Himalayan Woodpecker belong to?
The Himalayan Woodpecker (Dendrocopos himalayensis) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Himalayan Woodpecker eat?
The Himalayan Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Himalayan Woodpecker migrate?
The Himalayan Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Himalayan 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 Himalayan Woodpecker make?
1 real field recording of the Himalayan 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 Himalayan Woodpecker's range?
The Himalayan Woodpecker has a mapped global range of about 115,000 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.