It occurs in drier woodland, from lowland to the foothills of mountains.

A medium-sized, green woodpecker with streaked throat and scaly whitish underparts.

Crown red in male, blackish in female.

The laced woodpecker has less underpart streaking and a warm yellowish hue all over the neck.

The scaly-bellied woodpecker has streaked belly feathers, but unstreaked breast and throat plumage.