Common Flameback
About the Common Flameback in Singapore
Last updated 29 May 2026
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The Common Flameback (Dinopium javanense), is a stunning native resident and the most frequently encountered woodpecker in Singapore's parks and mangroves.
Identifying features
Check out some identifying features of the Common Flameback!
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The Common Flameback features brilliant, glowing golden-olive feathers on its back and wings. It possesses a striking black and white striped pattern running down its face and neck. Additionally, the sexes can be easily distinguished by their crowns: males sport a bright, fiery-red crest of feathers on the top of their heads, while females have a black crest dotted with white spots.
Interested to learn more about how to identify Garden Birds? Check out our simple guide on identifying Garden Birds!
Habitat and ecology
They use their stiff, spiky tail feathers as a "kickstand" to prop themselves vertically against tree trunks. They hitch their way up the bark, tapping the wood to find hollow tunnels before using their chisel-like bill and incredibly long, sticky tongue to extract hidden ants and grubs.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Why don't they get a headache from hammering wood all day?
Woodpeckers have built-in shock absorbers. They have a specialized, spongy bone structure in their skulls, and their incredibly long tongue actually wraps all the way around the back of their brain, acting like a protective seatbelt to cushion the impact.
Join us at Garden Bird Watch!
Enjoy birdwatching, or interested to learn more about the ones you see in our parks and gardens? Join us for the Garden Bird Watch to collect valuable data about garden birds, which contributes to their conservation.
Learn more about the Common Flameback!
Curious about the Common Flameback? Here are some interesting articles you can read to learn more about them.
