Speckled piculet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Speckled piculet |
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| Speckled piculet in Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Picumnus
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| Species: |
innominatus
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The speckled piculet is a small bird that belongs to the Picidae family, which includes woodpeckers! You can find these birds in places like India, China, and across Southeast Asia. Its scientific name is Picumnus innominatus.
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About the Speckled Piculet
The speckled piculet was first officially described in 1836. An English zoologist named Edward Burton gave it its scientific name, Picumnus innominatus. He studied a bird found in the "Himalayas," and we now know it was from Sikkim in northeast India. The name innominatus comes from Latin and means "unnamed."
Different Types of Speckled Piculets
There are three main types, or subspecies, of the speckled piculet:
- P. i. innominatus: This type lives in places like northeast Afghanistan, north Pakistan, Kashmir, southeast Tibet, Nepal, and northeast India.
- P. i. malayorum: You can find this one in south and east India, stretching to south China, Indochina, Sumatra, and Borneo.
- P. i. chinensis: This type lives in central, east, and south China.
What Does It Look Like?
Both male and female speckled piculets look very similar. They have olive-green feathers on their backs. You'll notice two white stripes on the sides of their heads, which look like cool racing stripes!
Their undersides are a creamy-white color, covered with small black spots. There's also a dark green band near their eyes. The male bird has a special touch: some orange and brown feathers on the front part of its head.
Where Do They Live?
Speckled piculets live in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. They can be found in many countries, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, Tibet, and Vietnam.
They like to live in different kinds of forests:
- Cool, northern forests (called boreal forests).
- Warm, wet forests in low areas.
- Warm, wet forests in mountains.
In India, you can find them in the foothills of the Himalayas, sometimes as high as 2500 meters (about 8,200 feet) above sea level. They also enjoy living in thick bamboo jungles.
How Do They Behave?
Speckled piculets usually travel around in pairs. They move along thin branches, often hanging upside down! Their actions are quite similar to those of their relatives, the woodpeckers. They are always busy looking for food.
What Do They Eat?
These little birds have a diet that mainly consists of ants and termites. They use their beaks to find and eat these tiny insects, which are a great source of energy for them.
