White-bellied Woodpecker

White-bellied Woodpecker

Dryocopus javensis

Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Danum Valley Conservation Area

In 3 days ~10%

36 Verified sightings at Danum Valley Conservation Area From 2019 to 2026
2,067 In all 12 parks
February Best month
🌅 Crepuscular When it's spotted

About the White-bellied Woodpecker

The white-bellied woodpecker or great black woodpecker (Dryocopus javensis) is a woodpecker species inhabiting evergreen forests in tropical Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It is among the largest of the Asiatic woodpeckers and nests in large dead trees, often beside rivers. It has 14 subspecies, and many of its island forms are endangered, some are extinct. Populations differ in the distribution and extent of white. Its drums and calls are louder than those of the smaller woodpeckers.

This species is one of the largest living species of woodpecker. Adults range in size from 40 to 48 cm (16 to 19 in) and are behind only to the great slaty woodpecker and black woodpecker in size among Asian woodpecker species. The species is considered closely related to the more northern black woodpecker and the North American pileated woodpecker and is similar in size to these species. Body mass can vary from 197 to 350 g (6.9 to 12.3 oz). Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 20.5 to 25.2 cm (8.1 to 9.9 in), the tail is 14.3 to 18.9 cm (5.6 to 7.4 in), the bill is 4.6 to 6 cm (1.8 to 2.4 in) and the tarsus is 3.2 to 4.3 cm (1.3 to 1.7 in).

The subspecies hodgsonii... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Alarm call0:13

Thailand · 2025

© Jirawut · XC1184814 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Call0:33

Malaysia · 2026

© Ding Li Yong · XC1169213 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Drumming1:15

India · 2019

© Mandar Bhagat · XC548110 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Sepilok 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~30%
2 Nagarhole National Park 🇮🇳 India
~20%
3 Way Kambas National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
~10%
4 Periyar National Park 🇮🇳 India
~10%
5 Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~10%
6 Cat Tien National Park 🇻🇳 Vietnam
~10%
7 Taman Negara National Park 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%
8 Bandipur National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
9 Gunung Leuser National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
<5%
10 Doi Inthanon National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
<5%
11 Danum Valley Conservation Area 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%
12 Mudumalai National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a White-bellied Woodpecker in Danum Valley Conservation Area?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a White-bellied Woodpecker sighting in Danum Valley Conservation Area on a given day, based on 36 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 198th most-seen of the 258 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a White-bellied Woodpecker in Danum Valley Conservation Area?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a White-bellied Woodpecker in Danum Valley Conservation Area on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

What time of day is best to see a White-bellied Woodpecker?

Between 1 and 4 am

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

Is Danum Valley Conservation Area the best place to see a White-bellied Woodpecker?

11th of 12

Of the 12 parks where we can rate White-bellied Woodpecker sightings, Danum Valley Conservation Area ranks 11th at under 5%. The best odds are in Sepilok (Malaysia, about 30%), Nagarhole National Park (India, about 20%) and Way Kambas National Park (Indonesia, about 10%).

Which relatives of the White-bellied Woodpecker live in Danum Valley Conservation Area?

Same family: Picidae

The closest relatives of the White-bellied Woodpecker that you can see in Danum Valley Conservation Area (family Picidae, Woodpeckers) are Rufous Piculet (about 20%), White-rumped Woodpecker (about 20%) and Buff-necked Woodpecker (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the White-bellied Woodpecker sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the White-bellied Woodpecker is recorded against all the birds logged in Danum Valley Conservation Area (36 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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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