Malabar Flameback
Chrysocolaptes socialis
NENot Evaluated Endemic to India
- Family
- Woodpeckers (Picidae)
- Order
- Piciformes
Overview
The Malabar flameback (Chrysocolaptes socialis) is a species of bird in the woodpecker family Picidae. It is endemic to the Western Ghats of India.
It was previously considered a subspecies of the greater flameback (C. guttacristatus), but was split as a distinct species by the International Ornithological Congress in 2022 based on a 2021 study noting differences in plumage and vocalizations between both species.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Western Ghats and coastal western India.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Malabar flameback
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
