Voice
A loud, shrill 'kwee-kwee-kkwee' uttered in alarm. A short 'chak', a mournful 'pee-ui', 'squieer' and ''kyee-kur-kur'. Crest is raised when calling. Drums only occasionally. Highly vocal.
Lesser Yellownape (Picus chlorolophus) [XC620859]
by Phil Gregory from Peninsular Malaysia (near Tanah Rata), Pahang, Malaysia (call)
Lesser Yellownape (Picus chlorolophus) [XC870785]
by Nick Athanas from Forest between Na Pe and Na Sao, Khamkeuth, Bolikhamsai, Laos (call)
Subspecies
Forms a superspecies with Crimson-winged Woodpecker (Picus puniceus), which is separated altitudinally in small area of range overlap. Considerable variation, both individual and geographical, and subspecies also intergrade.
Proposed subspecies chlorolophoides (northern Thailand), laotianus (Laos) and krempfi (Cochinchina) considered not acceptable.
The following 9 subspecies are recognised:
simlae Meinertzhagen, R, 1924 - Northern India (Himachal Pradesh) east to western Nepal.
chlorigaster Jerdon, 1845 - Peninsular India.
wellsi Meinertzhagen, R, 1924 - Sri Lanka.
chlorolophus Vieillot, 1818 - Eastern Nepal east to Myanmar and northern Vietnam.
annamensis Meinertzhagen, R, 1924 - South-eastern Thailand to southern Vietnam.
citrinocristatus (Rickett, 1901) - Northern Vietnam (Tonkin) and south-eastern China (Fujian).
longipennis (Hartert, 1910) - Hainan I.
rodgeri (Hartert & Butler, AL, 1898) - Western Malaysian highlands.