Scaled piculet

The scaled piculet (Picumnus squamulatus) is a species of bird in the woodpecker family Picidae.[3] It is found in Colombia and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, and heavily degraded former forest. This bird was first described by the French naturalist Frédéric de Lafresnaye in 1854; five subspecies are recognised.[4]

Scaled piculet
Female
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Piciformes
Family: Picidae
Genus: Picumnus
Species:
P. squamulatus
Binomial name
Picumnus squamulatus

Description

The scaled piculet grows to a length of 8 to 9 cm (3.1 to 3.5 in). The plumage is mottled, the scaled effect coming about because the feathers have pale-coloured bands and darker tips. The crown and nape are black, the male having some red speckling at the front of the crown; the female lacks this red colouration, but otherwise, the sexes are similar. The mantle and back are olive or tan and are scaled, the flight feathers and tail feathers are brown, the two central tail feathers having white tips. The underparts and flanks are boldly scaled in black and brown while the belly is more lightly scaled. The beak is blackish, the legs and feet are greyish-olive and the iris brown. The song is a thin, high-pitched series of notes, “chi-chi-ch’e’e’chi”, gradually descending in pitch. This bird can be confused with the white-bellied piculet.[3]

Distribution and habitat

The scaled piculet is native to northern South America, where its range includes much of Colombia and Venezuela at altitudes up to 1,900 m (6,200 ft). It mainly inhabits tropical and gallery forests, as well as the edges of deciduous woodland. It is also found in more open countryside and farmland with isolated trees, in parks and in gardens, especially locations with vines and tangled undergrowth. It seems to be extending its range southwards, perhaps in response to forest clearance and the growth of suitable secondary forest.[3]

Behaviour

This bird usually forages alone or in pairs, searching for small invertebrates in the undergrowth, among vines, on twigs, in saplings and in small trees. Breeding seems to take place between April and June in Venezuela, and birds in breeding condition have been seen there in September, and in January and October in Colombia.[4]

Status

The scaled piculet has a wide range and its population seems to be stable. It does not seem to be facing any particular threats, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of least concern.[1] It is possibly a fairly common bird, but may be overlooked because of its unobtrusive behaviour.[4]

References
  1. BirdLife International (2016). "Picumnus squamulatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2019.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. de Lafresnaye, F. (1854). "Mélanges ornithologiques". Revue et Magasin de Zoologie Pure et Appliquée. 6: 205–209. BHL page 13681279.
  3. Gorman, Gerard (2014). Woodpeckers of the World: A Photographic Guide. Firefly Books. pp. 54–55. ISBN 177085309X.
  4. Winkler, H.; Christie, D.A. (2019). "Scaled Piculet (Picumnus squamulatus)". Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
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