Speckled Piculet

Overview

The speckled piculet (Picumnus innominatus) is a small bird in the family Picidae. It is currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Olive-green upperparts with two white stripes on the sides of the head and a dark green band near the eyes.
• Creamy-white underparts covered in black spots.
• Males display orange and brown markings on the forecrown, while females lack these specific markings.

Habitat

This species inhabits boreal forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland and montane forests across the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. In India, it is present in the Himalayan foothills at altitudes up to approximately 2500 m and can also be found in bamboo jungles.

Diet

The speckled piculet feeds exclusively on ants and termites.

Did you know?

The bird was formally described in 1836 by Edward Burton from a specimen collected in the 'Himalayas', a locality that is now taken to be the state of Sikkim in northeast India.