The streak-throated woodpecker is a species of woodpecker found in the Indian subcontinent. It occurs in drier woodland, from lowland to the foothills of mountains.
Region
Indian Subcontinent
Typical Environment
Occurs across much of peninsular India and into adjacent Nepal and Bangladesh, primarily in dry and moist deciduous woodland, open forests, and groves. It also uses wooded farmland, orchards, and plantations with scattered tall trees. Along foothill zones it occupies edges and secondary growth rather than dense evergreen forest. Nesting relies on dead or decaying trunks for cavity excavation. It adapts well to human-modified landscapes where mature trees remain.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This medium-sized green woodpecker favors dry, open woodlands and is widespread across the Indian subcontinent. It forages methodically for ants and termites, often prying into dead wood or probing the ground. The bright yellow rump flashes in flight and helps distinguish it from similar species. Its drumming is relatively soft and infrequent compared with many woodpeckers, but its ringing calls carry far.
Temperament
wary but active
Flight Pattern
undulating with short, rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly, in pairs, or family parties after breeding. Pairs excavate a cavity in soft or decaying wood, sharing incubation and chick-rearing duties. Territorial displays include calling, wing-flicking, and short chases between trees.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Calls are clear, ringing series of notes, often rendered as sharp ki-ki-ki phrases, used for contact and territory. Drumming is soft and brief, delivered on resonant dead branches.
Plumage
Mostly green upperparts with a bright yellow rump, pale streaked throat and breast, and darker, finely barred underparts. Head is greyish to olive with contrasting throat streaking. Tail is dark with pale barring. Plumage is smooth and close-fitting, with a clean, streaked texture on the throat.
Diet
Primarily consumes ants and termites, along with their larvae and pupae. It also takes wood-boring beetles and other insects gleaned from bark and branches. Occasionally, it supplements its diet with small fruits or berries when insects are scarce. Foraging techniques include probing, prying, and flaking bark to expose insect galleries.
Preferred Environment
Feeds on trunks, larger branches, and dead stubs in open woodland and groves. It sometimes descends to the ground to raid ant nests or pick termites from soil mounds. Plantations and orchards with mature trees provide reliable foraging sites.
