Pale-headed Woodpecker
Gecinulus grantia
竹啄木鸟
Introduction
A species of woodpecker in the family Picidae. It occurs across Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. Inhabits subtropical and tropical dry forests as well as subtropical and tropical moist lowland forests. Notable as a bamboo specialist and a montane species. A 2017 molecular phylogenetic study revealed that this species is embedded within the genus Dinopium and represents a sister relationship to the olive-backed woodpecker (Dinopium rafflesii).
Distribution & Habitat
Range extends across South and Southeast Asia including Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. Inhabits subtropical and tropical dry forests and subtropical and tropical moist lowland forests. A montane species with a preference for bamboo-dominated habitats within its range.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Piciformes
- Family
- Picidae
- Genus
- Gecinulus
- eBird Code
- pahwoo1
Subspecies (3)
-
Gecinulus grantia grantia
eastern Nepal to Myanmar and southern China (western Yunnan)
-
Gecinulus grantia indochinensis
southwestern China (southwestern Yunnan) to northwestern Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam
-
Gecinulus grantia viridanus
southeastern China (Fujian and northern Guangdong)
Data Sources
Species description from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Bird images and sounds sourced from GBIF, contributed by citizen scientists worldwide under Creative Commons licenses.
Taxonomy data from AviList 2025.