A large woodpecker with a brilliant orange back, a black stripe through the eye and cheek, and black on the back of the neck. Inhabits mature lowland forest. It looks for invertebrates in trees, meticulously working its way up from the base of the trunk. Not shy; often mixes with other species, especially babblers and laughingthrushes. Very similar to Common Flameback, but the Himalayan Flameback has a longer bill and the cheek stripe splits into two near the bill. The call is a tinny, nasal series of notes similar to those of other flamebacks.