Ecuadorian Piculet

Overview

The Ecuadorian piculet (Picumnus sclateri) is a small bird in the woodpecker family Picidae, found in Ecuador and Peru. It is currently classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a stable population despite having a restricted range.

Identification

• Length of 9 to 10 cm with a weight of approximately 10 to 12 g.
• Males feature a black cap with tiny yellow spots on the forehead and white spots on the rest of the crown, whereas females have whitish spots across the entire crown.
• Underparts are whitish with black or dusky barring on the breast and flanks, and black streaks on the belly.
• Vocalisations include a slow, descending song described as "swee swee swee" and high-pitched calls like "tseee-tsut".

Habitat

This species primarily inhabits deciduous forest and arid scrublands, though it occurs in more humid landscapes in Loja. Its range spans western Ecuador from Manabí to northern Guayas, and southwestern Ecuador south into northwestern Peru, typically at elevations below 800 m in Ecuador and 1,200 m in Peru.

Diet

The diet consists mostly of very small insects, though it is not known in detail. The bird actively forages on thin branches by picking and tapping.

Did you know?

Subspecies P. s. parvistriatus was originally described as a separate species before being recognised as a subspecies of the Ecuadorian piculet.