Habitat
Primary evergreen and semi-evergreen lowland forests with dense undergrowth and rotting stumps, peatswamp forests and tall secondary formations. From sea-level - 600 m, although it does occur up to 1,250 m.
Brunei Darussalam (B), Indonesia (B), Malaysia (B), Myanmar (B), Singapore (E) (B), Thailand (B).
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010) and decreasing.
Status NT
Habitat destruction and degradation through illegal logging and land conversion, forest fires, is the main threat.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Buff-necked Woodpecker (Meiglyptes tukki) [XC359880]
by Ding Li Yong from Kawag Danum, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia (call)
Buff-necked Woodpecker (Meiglyptes tukki) [XC359879]
by Peter Boesman from Deremakot forest reserve, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia (call)
Subspecies
Northern Natunas population, sometimes separated as subspecies azaleus, may show more obscure barring, but much variation and separation not warranted. Similarly, described subspecies calceuticus (Banyak Is, off north-western Sumatra) appears indistinguishable from nominate.
The following 5 subspecies are recognised:
tukki (Lesson, 1839) - Southern Myanmar (southern Tenasserim) and peninsular Thailand south to Sumatra, nearby Banyak Is, Bangka, northern Natunas and northern Borneo.
infuscatus Salvadori, 1887 - Nias I (off north-western Sumatra).
batu Meyer de Schauensee & Ripley, 1940 - Batu Is (off north-western Sumatra).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet