Voice
A slow 'chup' or 'chup-chup'. A downturned 'kyaarr' in series. A rich laughing 'keeyuu' and an exposive'kchaer'. Pairs maintain contact by uttering a long, accelerating series of notes. Occasionally drums weakly, loud at first, but wavering and weakening.
Greater Yellownape (Chrysophlegma flavinucha) [XC399359]
by Lars Lachmann from Taranga, Nepal (call)
Greater Yellownape (Chrysophlegma flavinucha) [XC355100]
by Mike Dooher from Sattal Ashram, Nainital, Uttarakhand, India (call)
Subspecies
Forms a superspecies with Checker-throated Woodpecker (Chrysophlegma mentale), which is separated altitudinally in small area of range overlap. Much individual variation in plumage tone and markings, with subspecies intergrading, and clinal decrease in size from north to south. Birds from extreme north-west of range, on average longer-winged and generally with less yellow tinge to upperparts, have been separated as subspecies kumaonensis, but differences probably insufficient to warrant subspecific status.
Proposed subspecies archon (northern Vietnam) and lylei (northern and western Thailand) barely distinguishable, and features fall within range of individual variation of other subspecies.
The following 8 subspecies are recognised:
flavinucha (Gould, 1834) - Northern and eastern India (from northern Uttar Pradesh, Orissa) east to Myanmar, southern China (southern Sichuan, Yunnan) and northern Vietnam.
ricketti Styan, 1898 - Tonkin area of northern Vietnam, and east to south-eastern China (Fujian).
pierrei (Oustalet, 1889) - South-eastern Thailand to southern Vietnam.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet