Photo: Gideon Ferrer / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Southern Sooty Woodpecker
Mulleripicus fuliginosus
Southern Sooty Woodpecker (Mulleripicus fuliginosus) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Southern Sooty Woodpecker (Mulleripicus fuliginosus) is a member of the Picidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 172 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 fuliginosus
Where it lives
Samar, Leyte and Mindanao (east-central, southern Philippines)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 172 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Picidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Southern Sooty 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 Southern Sooty Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Southern Sooty Woodpecker (Mulleripicus fuliginosus) is a member of the Picidae family, within the order Piciformes. It is found across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Samar, Leyte and Mindanao (ec, s Philippines).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 172 g, with a wing length of about 15.2 cm and a tail of around 9.2 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.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 107,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Southern Sooty Woodpecker?
The Southern Sooty Woodpecker is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 172 g.
Where does the Southern Sooty Woodpecker live?
The Southern Sooty Woodpecker is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Samar, Leyte and Mindanao (ec, s Philippines), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Southern Sooty Woodpecker belong to?
The Southern Sooty Woodpecker (Mulleripicus fuliginosus) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Southern Sooty Woodpecker eat?
The Southern Sooty Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Southern Sooty Woodpecker migrate?
The Southern Sooty Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Southern Sooty 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 Southern Sooty Woodpecker make?
1 real field recording of the Southern Sooty Woodpecker — including its drumming — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Southern Sooty Woodpecker's range?
The Southern Sooty Woodpecker has a mapped global range of about 107,000 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.