Picumnus cinnamomeus
The Chestnut Piculet (Picumnus cinnamomeus) is a captivating small woodpecker, embodying the unique characteristics of its genus. Measuring a diminutive 8.5 to 10 cm (3.3-3.9 inches) in length and weighing a mere 10 to 13 grams (0.35-0.46 oz), it is one of the smallest members of the Picidae family. Its plumage is a striking, unbarred cinnamon-rufous, subtly paler on the belly, creating a warm and uniform appearance. Distinctive field marks include the absence of the stiff, brace-like tail fe...
This piculet inhabits a variety of lowland dry to semi-deciduous forests, including chaco, gallery forest, scrub, and even mangroves, typically found from sea level up to around 1000 meters in elevation.
Its diet consists mainly of small insects and their larvae, including ants, termites, and beetle larvae, which it gleans from bark crevices and probes from soft wood.
The Chestnut Piculet is primarily diurnal, spending its days methodically foraging. Unlike typical woodpeckers, it lacks stiff tail feathers for bracing, instead moving fluidly along small branches and twigs, often hanging upside down as it gleans and probes for insects. Its foraging style involv...
The Chestnut Piculet boasts a wide, resident distribution across northern and central South America, with no migratory movements. Its breeding and year-round range extends from northern Colombia and Venezuela, south through eastern Peru and Bolivia, into northern Paraguay and northern Argentina, ...
Least Concern
- The Chestnut Piculet is one of the smallest birds in the woodpecker family (Picidae), making it a true miniature among its drumming relatives. - Unlike most woodpeckers, it lacks stiff, supportive tail feathers, meaning it cannot brace itself against tree trunks and instead uses its feet to cli...