Greater Flameback - Ecology

Ecology

This flameback is a species associated with a diversity of rather open forest habitat, such as found in the foothills of the Himalayas or in the Western Ghats; it also inhabits mangrove forest. It seems to be well-adapted to particular forest types, while the similar-looking Common Flameback (Dinopium javanense) is more of a generalist; thus, depending on what forests predominate in a region, C. lucidus may be more (e.g. in Thailand) or less common (e.g. in peninsular Malaysia) than D. javanense. In Malaysian mangrove forest for example, the Greater Flameback has been found to prefer tall Avicennia alba for foraging, while the Common Flameback rather indiscriminately utilizes that species as well as Bruguiera parviflora and Sonneratia alba.

Like other woodpeckers, the Greater Flameback uses its bill to dig out food from trees and its zygodactyl feet and stiff tail to provide support against tree trunks. The long tongue can be darted forward to extract wood-boring arthropod prey; while mainly feeding on small invertebrates, Greater Flamebacks will also drink nectar. They nest in tree holes, laying three or four white eggs.

Widely distributed and quite common in parts of its range, the Greater Fireback is classified as a Species of Least Concern by the IUCN.