Greater Flameback

Greater Flameback

Chrysocolaptes guttacristatus

Silhouette: Pepe Reigada · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Kolkata

In 3 days <5%

36 Verified sightings at Kolkata
4,750 In all 15 parks From 2019 to 2026
February Best month
🌅 Crepuscular When it's spotted

About the Greater Flameback

The greater flameback (Chrysocolaptes guttacristatus), also known as the greater goldenback or large golden-backed woodpecker, is a woodpecker species. It occurs widely in the northern Indian subcontinent, eastwards to southern China, the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, western and central Java and northeast Borneo.

It has been suggested to split the greater flameback into the following species: Greater flameback, (C. guttacristatus) (C. lucidus if taken as a group and not split) Crimson-backed flameback, (C. stricklandi) of Sri Lanka

Javan flameback (C. strictus) of eastern Java, Bali, and Kangean Islands Luzon flameback (C. haematribon) of Luzon, Polillo, Catanduanes and Marinduque in the northern Philippines Yellow-faced flameback (C. xanthocephalus) of Negros, Guimaras, Panay, Masbate and Ticao, Philippine Islands

Buff-spotted flameback (C. lucidus) of Bohol, Leyte, Samar, Biliran, Panaon, Mindando, Basilan, and Samal, Philippine Islands Red-headed flameback (C. erythrocephalus) of Balabac, Palawan, Busuanga, and Calamian, Philippine Islands

Malabar flameback (C. socialis) of southwestern India The greater flameback is a large woodpecker, at 33 cm in... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Call0:49

Thailand · 2026

© Scott Olmstead · XC1105179 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Song0:27

Cambodia · 2025

© Ding Li Yong · XC981321 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Flight call0:10

Malaysia · 2020

© Al-Kautsar Hidayanto · XC598141 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Kaeng Krachan National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~30%
2 Royal Bardia National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
~30%
3 Khao Yai National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~20%
4 Chitwan National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
~20%
5 Kaziranga National Park 🇮🇳 India
~20%
6 Sundarbans National Park 🇮🇳 India
~20%
7 Manas National Park 🇮🇳 India
~20%
8 Cat Tien National Park 🇻🇳 Vietnam
~20%
9 Jim Corbett National Park 🇮🇳 India
~10%
10 Namdapha National Park 🇮🇳 India
~10%
11 Royal Manas National Park 🇧🇹 Bhutan
~10%
12 Cuc Phuong National Park 🇻🇳 Vietnam
~10%
13 Khao Sok National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
<5%
14 Khao Luang National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
<5%
15 Doi Inthanon National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Dehradun 🇮🇳 India
<5%
2 Guwahati 🇮🇳 India
<5%
3 Kolkata 🇮🇳 India
<5%
4 Kuala Lumpur 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Greater Flameback in Kolkata?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Greater Flameback sighting in Kolkata on a given day, based on 36 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 191st most-seen of the 247 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Greater Flameback in Kolkata?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Greater Flameback in Kolkata on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

What time of day is best to see a Greater Flameback?

Between 2 and 5 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Greater Flameback sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.

Is Kolkata the best place to see a Greater Flameback?

Among the best

Of the 4 cities where we can rate Greater Flameback sightings, Kolkata ranks 3rd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Dehradun (India, under 5%) and Guwahati (India, under 5%).

Which relatives of the Greater Flameback live in Kolkata?

Same family: Picidae

The closest relatives of the Greater Flameback that you can see in Kolkata (family Picidae, Woodpeckers) are Black-rumped Flameback (about 50%) and Eurasian Wryneck (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Greater Flameback sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Greater Flameback is recorded against all the birds logged in Kolkata (36 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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