Yellow-Crested Woodpecker in Uganda (“Chloropicus xantholophus”)

What to Know About the Yellow-crested Woodpecker in Uganda?

The Yellow-Crested Woodpecker in Uganda is one of the African Uganda Birds seen during Uganda birding- watching tours. The yellow-crested woodpecker is sometimes called the golden-crowned woodpecker in the family Picidae.

It lives in rainy tropical forested areas like Budongo forest, Mabira forest and Semuliki forest National Park in Uganda.

How Does the Yellow-crested Woodpecker in Uganda Look Like?

The adult, yellow-crested woodpecker has length between 22 to 25 cm. The males have small golden patch with black flecking on their crown, very visible during display.

Both male and female are similar except the golden patch that is lacking in females. the forehead is brownish while the cheeks and throat white.

There is a conspicuous black stripe through the eye up to the sides of the neck. The nape is dark and the upper plumage is grey brownish-olive, usually plain but occasionally a little banded.

The rump and upper tail feathers are yellow, the tail brown. The under coverts are brownish with white spotting on the breast and white barring on the flanks and lesser belly.

The bill is tall and the upper mandible is duskier than the lower mandible, the iris is dim red while legs and feet are olive grey. Youngs are duller, mostly barring, and have some yellow tilted downs in the crown.

How Does the Yellow-crested Woodpecker in Uganda Sing and Make Calls?

This bird is vocal, and produces a range of chattering calls and notes. A brief sound of simple acoustic structure- a peep, cheep, squawk, chatter in be heard.

How Does the Yellow-crested Woodpecker in Uganda Feed?

The yellow-crested woodpecker eats insects in the canopy, it chisels into wood to find insect larvae, levering off bark, and at times catch flying insects.