Rufous Woodpecker

Odd medium-sized brownish woodpecker with a short dark bill. Overall coloration and wing markings vary considerably across a wide range. Males have a red patch under the eye. Gives a range of loud, insistent calls, including a sharp “weep weep weep!” Distinctive drum accelerates then trails off. Forages throughout the levels of the forest, often with mixed-species flocks. Frequently drills into ant nests.

forested areas, parks, and gardens in South and Southeast Asia.

In Sri Lanka, the Rufous Woodpecker primarily feeds on ants, particularly species from the genus Crematogaster, as well as other ants like Oecophylla and Pheidole, often foraging directly from their nests on trees and occasionally on the ground; their diet may also include termites and other insects, with occasional fruits, nectar, and sap from plants like banana stems.