Greyish piculet facts for kids
The greyish piculet (Picumnus granadensis) is a small bird from the woodpecker family. It lives only in Colombia. This tiny bird is known for its unique colors and quiet calls.
Quick facts for kids Greyish piculet |
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Picumnus
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granadensis'
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Contents
About the Greyish Piculet
How Scientists Classify This Bird
Scientists classify the greyish piculet into two main types. These are called subspecies. They are P. g. granadensis and P. g. antioquensis. The greyish piculet is also closely related to the olivaceous piculet. Scientists call them "sister species" because they are so similar.
What Does It Look Like?
The greyish piculet is a very small bird. It is about 9 to 10 centimeters (3.5 to 4 inches) long. It weighs about 12 to 13 grams (0.4 to 0.5 ounces). That's about as much as a few paper clips!
Male birds have a black top of the head. It has small yellow tips and white spots. Their cheeks are off-white. The sides of their neck are gray-brown with white spots. Their back and upper parts are grayish brown. Their tail is dark brown with some white stripes. Their throat is off-white. Their belly is dull white.
Female birds look very similar to males. But females have white spots all over the top of their head. They do not have the yellow tips. Young birds are usually duller and darker. They also have more streaks on their belly.
One subspecies, P. g. antioquensis, has grayer upper parts. It also has clearer gray streaks on its belly.
Where the Greyish Piculet Lives
Its Home in Colombia
The greyish piculet lives only in Colombia. The P. g. antioquensis subspecies lives in the northwestern part of Colombia. You can find it on the western side of the Western Andes mountains. The other subspecies, P. g. granadensis, lives in western Colombia. It is found near the middle and upper parts of the Rio Cauca and Rio Patía rivers.
What Kind of Places Does It Like?
This bird likes semi-open areas. This includes the edges of forests. It lives in both dry and somewhat wet primary (old) and secondary forest (new) forests. It also lives in scrublands and open woodlands. You can usually find it at elevations between 800 and 2,100 meters (2,600 to 6,900 feet) high. Sometimes, it might be found as low as 600 meters (2,000 feet) in the northern parts of its home range.
How the Greyish Piculet Behaves
Staying in One Place
The greyish piculet does not migrate. It stays in the same area all year long. It is a year-round resident throughout its home range.
What It Eats
Scientists do not know much about how the greyish piculet finds its food. They also do not know exactly what it eats. However, they believe it eats similar things to the olivaceous piculet. You can learn more about the olivaceous piculet's diet here.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The breeding season for the greyish piculet seems to be from January to June. Not much else is known about how these birds reproduce.
Its Calls
The greyish piculet does not call very often. When it does, it makes a high-pitched, weak trill. It sounds like a soft, vibrating sound all on one note.
Conservation Status
Is It Endangered?
The IUCN has looked at the greyish piculet. They have assessed it as a species of "Least Concern." This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.
The bird has a small home range. Its population size is not known. Scientists think its numbers might be going down. However, it does not meet the requirements to be listed as "Near Threatened." There are no immediate dangers that scientists have found for this bird.
See also
In Spanish: Picumnus granadensis para niños
