Lafresnaye's Piculet

Overview

Lafresnaye's piculet (Picumnus lafresnayi) is a small species of woodpecker in the subfamily Picumninae. It is a year-round resident found in parts of South America and is currently classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, though its population is believed to be decreasing.

Identification

• Measures 9 to 10 cm in length and weighs between 9 and 10 g.
• Males of the nominate subspecies have a dark olive-brown cap with red forehead spots, while other subspecies display yellow-orange spots.
• Upperparts are dark green or brownish green with yellowish green bars; underparts are pale yellowish white with wide black bars.
• Females have whitish spots on the entire crown, whereas males have red or yellow-orange spots on the forehead and whitish ones on the rest of the head and nape.
• Produces occasional high-pitched calls described as 'tseeyt, tsit' or 'see-see'.

Habitat

Inhabits the edges and clearings of humid mature forest as well as secondary forest, typically at elevations up to 1,400 m but occasionally reaching 1,800 m. Its range covers southeastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, parts of Peru, and north-central Brazil.

Diet

Gleans prey in the lower and middle strata of the forest, favouring termites and other small invertebrates. It frequently joins mixed-species foraging flocks.

Did you know?

Although few nests are known, one observed nest was located in a hole about 3 m above the ground in a shrub and contained two eggs, with both sexes caring for the hatchlings.