Photo: Prajwalkm / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Rufous Woodpecker
Micropternus brachyurus
Rufous Woodpecker (Micropternus brachyurus) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Rufous Woodpecker (Micropternus brachyurus) is a member of the Picidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 85.9 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 Micropternus
- Species brachyurus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 85.9 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Picidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rufous 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 Rufous Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Rufous Woodpecker (Micropternus brachyurus) belongs to the Picidae family of the order Piciformes. It is found across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR widespread.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 85.9 g, with a wing length of about 11.8 cm and a tail of around 6.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 6.1 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rufous Woodpecker?
The Rufous Woodpecker is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 85.9 g.
Where does the Rufous Woodpecker live?
The Rufous Woodpecker is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR widespread, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Rufous Woodpecker belong to?
The Rufous Woodpecker (Micropternus brachyurus) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Rufous Woodpecker eat?
The Rufous Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Rufous Woodpecker migrate?
The Rufous Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Rufous 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 Rufous Woodpecker make?
1 real field recording of the Rufous 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 Rufous Woodpecker's range?
The Rufous Woodpecker has a mapped global range of about 6.1 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.