Straight-billed woodcreeper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Straight-billed woodcreeper |
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| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Dendroplex
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| Species: |
picus
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| Synonyms | |
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Xiphorhynchus picus |
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The straight-billed woodcreeper (Dendroplex picus) is a cool bird that lives in many parts of South America. It's part of the ovenbird family, which includes many birds known for building interesting nests. You can find this bird in places like Panama, Trinidad, and most countries in mainland South America, but not in Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, or Uruguay.
Contents
About the Straight-billed Woodcreeper's Name
The straight-billed woodcreeper got its official name in 1788. A German scientist named Johann Friedrich Gmelin described it. He put it in the same group as orioles at first.
The bird's scientific name, Dendroplex picus, has a special meaning. Picus is a Latin word for "woodpecker." This name was chosen because of how the bird looks and acts, similar to a woodpecker. Later, scientists moved it to the Dendroplex group.
Different Kinds of Straight-billed Woodcreepers
There are 13 different types, or subspecies, of the straight-billed woodcreeper. They all look a bit different depending on where they live. Here are their names:
- D. p. extimus
- D. p. dugandi
- D. p. picirostris
- D. p. saturatior
- D. p. choicus
- D. p. paraguanae
- D. p. longirostris
- D. p. altirostris
- D. p. phalarus
- D. p. deltanus
- D. p. picus
- D. p. duidae
- D. p. peruvianus
What Does a Straight-billed Woodcreeper Look Like?
This bird is about 18 to 22 centimeters (7 to 8.5 inches) long. That's about the length of a regular pencil. Males usually weigh between 34 and 42 grams (about 1.2 to 1.5 ounces). Females are similar in size and weight.
One special thing about this bird is its bill, or beak. It's quite straight on top, but the bottom part curves slightly upwards. Both male and female birds look the same.
Colors and Markings
Adult straight-billed woodcreepers have a pale stripe above their eye. They also have a dark stripe behind the eye. Their ear feathers are brown with light streaks.
Their head and neck are dark brown or blackish. They have light streaks that are bigger on the back of their neck. Their upper back and wing feathers are warm olive-brown or reddish-brown. Their lower back, rump, and tail are a reddish-chestnut color.
Their chin and throat are a light, creamy white. They have a scaly pattern that goes down to their upper chest. The rest of their belly is brown. Their eyes are reddish-brown or dark brown. Their bill is usually light gray or brownish. Their legs and feet can be green, gray, or brownish.
Subspecies Differences
The different subspecies have small variations in their colors and markings:
- D. p. picirostris: Paler and more reddish-brown on top.
- D. p. extimus: More brownish than reddish-brown.
- D. p. dugandi: Has more black around the spots on its head.
- D. p. saturatior: Much darker overall.
- D. p. choicus: Lighter than some other types.
- D. p. longirostris: Bigger with a longer, heavier bill.
- D. p. paraguanae: Has a longer bill and a whiter throat.
- D. p. altirostris: Has a longer, heavier, and more curved bill.
- D. p. phalarus: Has larger spots on its head and neck.
- D. p. duidae: Has a pure white throat and more spots on its chest.
- D. p. deltanus: Darker than duidae.
- D. p. peruvianus: Brighter and more reddish-brown.
Where Does the Woodcreeper Live?
The straight-billed woodcreeper lives in many different places across South America. Each subspecies is found in a specific area:
- D. p. extimus: Central and eastern Panama, and northwestern Colombia.
- D. p. dugandi: Inland northwestern Colombia.
- D. p. picirostris: Coastal northern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela.
- D. p. saturatior: Eastern Andes mountains in Colombia and western Venezuela.
- D. p. choicus: Coastal north-central Venezuela.
- D. p. paraguanae: Northwestern Venezuela.
- D. p. longirostris: Margarita Island, off northern Venezuela.
- D. p. altirostris: Trinidad.
- D. p. phalarus: The plains (llanos) and northeastern coast of Venezuela.
- D. p. deltanus: Northeastern Venezuela.
- D. p. picus: Southern Venezuela, the Guianas, and north, central, and eastern Brazil.
- D. p. duidae: Upper parts of the Orinoco and Negro rivers in eastern Colombia, southern Venezuela, and northwestern Brazil.
- D. p. peruvianus: Southwestern Amazon Basin in eastern Peru, northern and eastern Bolivia, and southwestern Brazil.
Woodcreeper Homes
This bird likes many types of lowland areas. It prefers places that are open or partly open, not super dense forests. You can find it at the edges of thick forests, in open woodlands, or in savannas with trees. It also lives in forests that flood sometimes, on river islands, in younger forests, and even in mangrove swamps. They can also be found in thorny bushes and on farms.
They usually live below 600 meters (about 2,000 feet) in elevation. In some places, like Venezuela, they can be found higher, up to 1,400 meters (about 4,600 feet).
How the Woodcreeper Behaves
Movement and Travel
Scientists believe that the straight-billed woodcreeper stays in the same area all year round. It does not migrate to other places.
What the Woodcreeper Eats
The straight-billed woodcreeper mostly eats arthropods, which are insects and spiders. It also eats other small creatures like snails and tiny lizards. It usually looks for food alone. Sometimes, it might join a group of different bird species that are feeding together.
It finds food by climbing up and along tree trunks and branches. It often searches between the lower branches and the middle part of the trees. It mostly picks food from the bark and cracks in the bark. Sometimes, it will also poke its bill into dead wood or leaf piles.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The straight-billed woodcreeper's breeding season changes depending on where it lives. In the northern parts of its range, it starts breeding around April. In the southern areas, it begins around September.
This bird builds its nest in a hole or cavity. This can be a natural hole in a tree or one made by a woodpecker. They also use holes in cacti, dead tree stumps, or even termite nests in trees. Sometimes, they nest in fence posts or special nest boxes. They might line the bottom of the nest with bark chips or soft plant material.
A female usually lays two or three eggs, but sometimes just one. The eggs hatch after about 17 days. The baby birds leave the nest when they are 17 or 18 days old. Both parents likely help to keep the eggs warm and care for the young birds.
The Woodcreeper's Song
The straight-billed woodcreeper sings mostly at sunrise and sunset. It also sings sometimes during the day. Its song is a fast series of about 25 to 40 high-pitched notes. It starts with a few sharp notes, then speeds up and goes down in pitch. The song slows down at the end.
In Venezuela, their song is a bit slower with fewer notes. They also make calls like "dit," "chip," and "tschup."
How Many Woodcreepers Are There?
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) says the straight-billed woodcreeper is a species of "Least Concern." This means it's not currently in danger of disappearing. It lives in a very large area. There are at least five million adult birds estimated to be alive.
No immediate threats have been found for this bird. It is quite common in most places. It likes open areas, places where forests are growing back, and areas changed by humans. This shows that it's not very sensitive to human activity.
