Black-Rumped Flameback
Dinopium benghalense
Also known as: Lesser Goldenback, Black-Rumped Flamback, Khath Thokra, Lesser Golden-Backed Flamebacked Woodpecker, Lesser Golden-Backed Woodpecker
About This Species
A striking golden-backed woodpecker found in open woodland, gardens and cultivated land across the Indian subcontinent, often first noticed by its loud rattling call or drumming on dead wood. It forages on tree trunks and branches for insects, sometimes descending to the ground for ants. Listen for activity year-round, with drumming more frequent in the breeding season.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Watch from a distance with binoculars and avoid disturbing nest holes in dead or dying trees, since woodpeckers can abandon a cavity if repeatedly approached during excavation or incubation.
- Wildlife protection laws differ across its South Asian range, so check local regulations, particularly near protected areas.
- Standing still and letting the bird continue foraging is preferable to following it from tree to tree.
LCAvesPiciformesPicidae
Seasonal Activity
351,308 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Piciformes
- Family
- Picidae
Photo
(c) Daniel S. Katz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Daniel S. Katz
CC-BY-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.