White-winged woodpecker

The white-winged woodpecker is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It is found in Afghanistan, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan. The white-winged woodpecker's natural habitats are temperate forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

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Distribution

Region

Central Asia

Typical Environment

Occurs from northeastern Iran and Afghanistan through Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and southern Kazakhstan to Kyrgyzstan and western China (Xinjiang). It favors river valleys with tugai forests dominated by poplar and willow, as well as shelterbelts, orchards, and groves in agricultural landscapes. It uses mature trees with dead wood for foraging and nesting. In drier regions it remains close to watercourses and oases where tree cover is concentrated.

Altitude Range

100–2000 m

Climate Zone

Continental

Characteristics

Size23–26 cm

Wing Span38–44 cm

Male Weight0.09 kg

Female Weight0.08 kg

Life Expectancy7 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

This medium-sized woodpecker is strongly tied to riparian poplar and willow forests (tugai) across Central Asia. Its bold white wing panels make it easy to distinguish in flight, and its rapid drumming carries far along river corridors. It excavates nest cavities in soft, decaying trunks and often adapts to shelterbelts and orchards where mature trees persist.

Gallery

Behaviour

Temperament

solitary and territorial

Flight Pattern

undulating with quick wingbeats and short glides

Social Behavior

Usually seen singly or in pairs, maintaining territories year-round. Both sexes excavate nest cavities in soft or decaying trunks, typically in poplars or willows near water. Clutches are laid in spring, and both parents share incubation and feeding duties.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

Vocalizations include sharp, metallic kik or chik notes and scolding rattles. Drumming is a rapid, even burst used for territorial advertisement and pair communication.

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Identification

Comb Type

Plumage Description

Feather Color

Leg Color

Earlobe Color

Eye Color

Feeding Habits

Diet

Preferred Environment

Requires Supplement

Population

Conservation Status

Species Status

Wild Population

Total Known Population

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