The Pale-headed Woodpecker lives in bamboo and forest habitats. Males have chestnut upperparts and a reddish patch on the forecrown that females lack.
The male has chestnut upperparts and a pinkish-red patch on the forecrown, with barred wings. The female lacks the crown patch.
The Thai record lists the species in bamboo, evergreen, and deciduous forests at about 400 m.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.