The non-protected forests of the eastern Himalaya are crucial for biodiversity conservation. With pronounced elevation gradients over short distances and a high woodpecker diversity, this region is ideal for investigating sympatric woodpeckers. With this outlook, the current study was carried out in Darjeeling, eastern Himalaya, across an approximate elevation range of 250–2300 m, to explore the foraging niche dynamics among woodpeckers inhabiting non-protected tropical, subtropical, and temperate forests. The results revealed significant variations in species preferences across different niche dimensions. While woodpeckers preferred snags and sick trees, most observations occurred on live trees, likely due to the limited availability of snags. Large-bodied woodpeckers favoured large, tall trees, consistent with optimal foraging theory. The grey-capped pygmy woodpecker, despite its smaller size, preferred large trees but selected smaller substrates. Species-specific foraging heights indicate vertical stratification, while distinct substrate preferences demonstrate resource partitioning. Shifts in foraging behaviour across elevations reflect environment-induced niche specialisation. Tropical forests exhibited greater woodpecker diversity and abundance. Species pairs, such as the greater yellownape and grey-headed woodpecker, showed significant overlaps in niche preferences, while the grey-capped pygmy woodpecker and crimsonbreasted woodpecker were the most distinct from the rest of the community in their respective habitats. Additionally, some woodpeckers exhibited varying niche preferences across elevation bands, indicating a mix of generalists and specialists within the community. The study underscores the need for a broad conservation approach that considers various ecological dimensions across an elevation gradient for effective conservation of woodpeckers in the Himalaya.