Very common breeding resident of all climatic zones, occurs as two races
in the island. Red backed woodpecker (D.b.psarodes) is the southern form
distributed in forests, cultivations and home gardens of lowlands and hills
while Golden-backed woodpecker (d.b.jaffnense) is mainly found in Northern
coastal areas from Chilaw to Trincomalee. Two sub-species freely interbreed and
intermediate forms occur in fringe areas. It lives as pairs and feeds on ants and such insects found inside tree barks and occasionally on ground.
