WOODPECKER 21 /23 - Great Slaty Woodpecker

This woodpecker has been elusive until just last weekend that is in the month of May 2016. The Great Slaty is the largest Woodie you can see in Malaysia. Coming in at 48-58 cm (1.5-2 feet ) larger that the Great Coucal. In fact its is now the largest woodpecker in the  world! ......with the demised of ivory beaked and imperial.

They are gregarious and the group I saw was a threesome If you are lucky you can see a family of a 6-7 birds. In the month of May you can expect the mating season in full swing. Who knows breeding season is on the way in Bukit Rengit.

The birds response to my  call back as they flew over my head a few times before their curiosity faltered and they left  the place. Their call is rather rowdy  quickening sould-like - "weok koek koek kek kek kek".

The threesome flying over me while calling ............

This unique-looking woodpecker has several obvious distinctive features: a very long, strong chisel-tipped bill, an elongated neck and a long tail. A slight crest maybe occasionally evident. This species plumage is almost entirely dark grey or blackish slate-grey overlaid with small white spots. The throat is paler grey and males have small red moustache. Normally, the nominate subspecies is the darkest, most slaty gray race. M. p. harterti has a more pale throat with a greater amount of whitish feather tips forming small spot and is slightly paler below than the nominate, sometimes appearing almiost whitish on the belly. The size and structure readily distinguishes this bird from almost any other species, including other woodpeckers. 

This species prefers to inhabit areas of primary semi-open, moist deciduous and evergreen tropical forest clearings with scattered tall trees and similar almost park-like areas but do not generally visit heavily disturbed areas. Locally, the great slaty woodpecker prefers sprawling stands of diptocarp and teak trees. Also found in mature swamp forest and mangrove with tall, mature trees. The species usually occurs below an elevation of 600 m (2,000 ft), but also locally in montane areas of up to 1,100 m (3,600 ft), occasionally ranging up to 2,000 m (6,600 ft).

The nesting season, in Malaysia  at least, appears to be from March to August. The clutch reportedly consists of 2 to 4 eggs, which are incubated by both parents. Both parents also feed and generally brood the young. The young great slaty woodpeckers probably stay with their parents until the next breeding season.

They landed on a death tree which is their favorite perch hunting for grubs and larvae about 100 m away