Mottled piculet facts for kids
The mottled piculet (Picumnus nebulosus) is a small bird that lives in parts of South America. It's a type of woodpecker, but it's much smaller than most woodpeckers you might know. Scientists consider it a "Near Threatened" species, which means its population is getting smaller, and it needs protection. You can find this bird in Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay.
Quick facts for kids Mottled piculet |
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| An adult male mottled piculet in Urupema, Santa Catarina state, Brazil | |
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Piciformes |
| Family: | Picidae |
| Genus: | Picumnus |
| Species: |
P. nebulosus
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| Binomial name | |
| Picumnus nebulosus Sundevall, 1866
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Contents
About the Mottled Piculet's Family Tree
Scientists group living things into families to understand them better. This is called taxonomy. The mottled piculet is part of the Picidae family, which includes all woodpeckers. It's also in a smaller group called Picumninae.
This bird is considered "monotypic." This means there is only one recognized type or subspecies of the mottled piculet. Some people once thought a population in Brazil was a different species, but now we know it's the same P. nebulosus.
What Does the Mottled Piculet Look Like?
The mottled piculet is a small bird, about 10 to 11 cm (3.9 to 4.3 in) long. It weighs around 11 to 12 g (0.39 to 0.42 oz), which is about as much as a few paper clips.
Male and Female Birds
Adult male piculets have a black cap on their head. They have a red patch on their forehead and white spots on the rest of the cap. Their face is mostly dark olive-brown with some white markings.
Their back and upper body are a warm olive-brown color. Their flight feathers, which are used for flying, are dark brown or blackish. These feathers have pale edges.
The tail is black. The feathers closest to the body have mostly white insides. The outer tail feathers have a white streak on the outside.
Body Colors
The chin and throat of the mottled piculet are white with thin black lines. Their chest is a buffish-brown color, sometimes with dark streaks. The belly is a pale buff, and the sides of the body are a richer buff with wide blackish streaks.
Eyes, Beak, and Legs
The bird's eyes are brown, and the ring around the eye is grayish. Its beak is black, but the bottom part (mandible) is gray at the base. The legs are gray.
Female mottled piculets look very similar to males. The main difference is that females have white spots all over their cap and no red patch. Young piculets are not as brightly colored as adults. They have a dull brown crown with pale, buffish streaks.
Where Does the Mottled Piculet Live?
The mottled piculet lives in a special area of South America. You can find it in southeastern Brazil, especially in the Paraná state. It also lives south through eastern Uruguay and into Argentina in the Misiones and Corrientes provinces.
Preferred Homes
This bird likes to live in lowland evergreen Atlantic forest. It also enjoys Araucaria forests. But you might also spot it in other places like gallery forest (forests along rivers), thick bamboo patches, scrubland, and wooded areas in the savannah.
The mottled piculet usually lives at elevations up to 1,100 m (3,600 ft). Sometimes, it can be found even higher, up to 1,400 m (4,600 ft).
How the Mottled Piculet Behaves
Movement and Travel
The mottled piculet usually stays in one area and does not travel far. This is called being "sedentary." However, scientists think it might move to different elevations depending on the season or food availability.
What the Mottled Piculet Eats
This bird looks for food in thick plants close to the ground. It also forages in trees, up to about 8 m (26 ft) high. It mostly eats insect larvae. It finds these larvae on thin branches, climbing vines, and inside bamboo stems.
The mottled piculet usually looks for food by itself. But sometimes, it will join groups of different bird species that are foraging together. This is called a mixed species foraging flock.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The breeding season for the mottled piculet is from October to December. Not much else is known about how these birds raise their young. Scientists are still learning about their breeding habits.
Sounds and Calls
The mottled piculet makes a few different sounds. It often makes a repeated "seep" or "cheep" sound. Sometimes, these sounds are linked together into a short, fast trill. It can also make an occasional humming sound.
When the bird is alarmed, it makes a high-pitched, whistling sound that sounds a bit like a cricket. Like other woodpeckers, it also drums. It taps on surfaces, especially bamboo, in an uneven pattern of two to four quick taps.
Is the Mottled Piculet in Danger?
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has listed the mottled piculet as "Near Threatened." This means that while it's not in immediate danger of disappearing, its population is decreasing.
The bird lives in a somewhat small area, and scientists don't know exactly how many mottled piculets there are. The number is believed to be getting smaller.
Threats to the Bird
The main reasons its population is shrinking are:
- Urbanization: More cities and towns are being built.
- Industrialization: More factories and industries are developing.
- Agricultural expansion: More land is being used for farming.
- Colonization and road-building: People are moving into new areas, and new roads are being built.
These activities destroy the natural places where the mottled piculet lives. The bird is considered uncommon in Argentina and Uruguay, but it is more common in Brazil.
 | Lonnie Johnson |
 | Granville Woods |
 | Lewis Howard Latimer |
 | James West |
