The colourful woodpecker remains common, but shrinking tree cover, rising heat and rapid urban expansion are threatening the habitats it depends on.
Bangladesh’s Black-rumped Flameback, one of the country’s most colourful and familiar woodpeckers, is facing growing pressure as old trees, gardens, orchards and urban green spaces disappear under rapid development.
Known locally as Kaththokra, the Black-rumped Flameback is easily recognised by its golden-yellow back, black rump, black throat and bright red crest in males. The bird is commonly seen clinging to tree trunks, tapping bark with its strong bill in search of insects and larvae.
Although the species is still considered common in many parts of Bangladesh, birdwatchers and conservationists say its future depends on the survival of mature trees. Like other woodpeckers, the bird needs tree trunks not only for feeding but also for nesting. It usually excavates holes in dead or soft wood to raise its chicks.
The Black-rumped Flameback is one of the few woodpeckers that can adapt to human-dominated areas. It is often seen in village groves, orchards, roadside trees, gardens, parks and wooded neighbourhoods. This adaptability has helped the species survive in cities and towns where many other birds have already declined.
But that resilience has limits.
Across Bangladesh, large old trees are being cut down for roads, buildings, markets, housing projects and other infrastructure. In many urban areas, native trees are being replaced with concrete, ornamental plants or small saplings that cannot provide nesting cavities. As a result, birds such as the Black-rumped Flameback are losing the natural spaces they need to feed, breed and shelter.
Climate change is adding another layer of stress. Rising temperatures, irregular rainfall, stronger storms and seasonal changes can affect insects, tree health and breeding patterns. Since woodpeckers depend heavily on tree-dwelling insects, any disruption in the food chain can affect their survival.
The bird plays an important ecological role. By feeding on insects under the bark, it helps control pests that damage trees. Its nesting holes are also used later by other birds and small animals. In this way, the Black-rumped Flameback acts as a natural forest engineer, supporting biodiversity beyond its own species.
Experts say the bird’s continued presence in cities should not be misunderstood as a sign that urban nature is safe. Rather, it shows that some wildlife is still trying to survive in shrinking habitats.
The Black-rumped Flameback is currently not considered globally threatened. However, local decline can happen silently when breeding trees are removed and green spaces become fragmented. Conservationists warn that common species can become uncommon if habitat loss continues unchecked.
Protecting the bird does not require large-scale action alone. Keeping old native trees, protecting parks, planting fruit and shade trees, avoiding unnecessary tree cutting and creating bird-friendly urban spaces can help the species survive. Dead or ageing trees, where safe, should also be retained because they provide important nesting and feeding sites for woodpeckers.
Bangladesh is home to many species of woodpeckers, and the Black-rumped Flameback remains one of the most visible among them. Its sharp tapping sound on tree trunks is a reminder that even in crowded cities, nature still exists.
But if trees continue to disappear, that sound may slowly fade from neighbourhoods where the colourful bird once thrived.
The survival of the Black-rumped Flameback now depends on how Bangladesh protects its trees, urban greenery and natural habitats in the face of rapid development and climate change.
The following video is in Bangla
