The bamboo woodpecker, or Gecinulus viridis, is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It is found in Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Malaysia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
Region
Southeast Asia
Typical Environment
Occurs from Myanmar through Thailand and Laos into the Malay Peninsula, favoring areas where bamboo is abundant within lowland and foothill forests. It uses both primary and secondary evergreen or mixed deciduous forest, edges, and riverine thickets. The species is closely tied to dense bamboo stands for both feeding and nesting. It generally keeps to the lower to mid-levels of the forest, moving methodically along stems and branches.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This shy woodpecker specializes in foraging in bamboo thickets, probing and tapping along culms to extract ants, termites, and larvae. It is often overlooked because it moves quietly in dense understory and calls softly. Both sexes excavate nest cavities, frequently in dead bamboo, which provides ready-made chambers with thin walls.
Temperament
shy and skulking
Flight Pattern
undulating flight with short bursts between perches
Social Behavior
Usually found singly, in pairs, or small family groups, sometimes joining mixed-species flocks in the understory. Nests are excavated in dead bamboo or soft wood; both sexes participate in excavation and incubation. Territorial but generally unobtrusive during the breeding season.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are soft and simple, including short pik or chik notes and quiet rattles. Drumming is subdued and often performed on bamboo, producing a hollow, muffled roll.
