White-bellied piculet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White-bellied piculet |
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| A white-bellied piculet in Guyana | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Picumnus
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| Species: |
spilogaster
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The white-bellied piculet (Picumnus spilogaster) is a small bird that belongs to the woodpecker family. It's called "vulnerable" because its numbers are decreasing. You can find this bird in parts of Brazil, Guyana, and Venezuela.
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About the White-Bellied Piculet
How Scientists Classify This Bird
Scientists group living things into categories. This helps us understand how they are related. The white-bellied piculet is part of the woodpecker family.
There are three types, or subspecies, of the white-bellied piculet:
- P. s. orinocensis
- P. s. spilogaster
- P. s. pallidus
Scientists sometimes change how they classify birds. This bird was once called P. leucogaster. It has also been linked to the arrowhead piculet.
What the White-Bellied Piculet Looks Like
This small bird is about 8 to 9.2 centimeters (3 to 3.6 inches) long. It weighs between 7 and 12 grams (0.2 to 0.4 ounces).
Male birds have a black cap on their head. They have a red patch on their forehead. The rest of their cap has white spots. Their face is mostly dark brown.
Their upper body is olive-brown. It has light gray stripes. Their flight feathers are brown with light edges. Their tail is dark brown. The inner tail feathers are mostly white. The outer two pairs also have white on them.
Their chin and throat are whitish. They have black bars on these areas. The upper chest is light yellowish with wide black bars. The lower chest and belly are creamy white with large black spots.
Female birds look almost the same as males. But they do not have the red patch on their forehead. Young birds have more stripes than adults. Their underparts are also a bit more buff-colored.
The P. s. orinocensis subspecies has mostly plain underparts. The P. s. pallidus subspecies is a bit smaller. It also has a shorter tail than the main type.
Where the White-Bellied Piculet Lives
The main type of white-bellied piculet lives in northern Guyana. It also lives in the Roraima state of northern Brazil.
The P. s. orinocensis subspecies is found in central Venezuela. It lives near the Rio Meta and Rio Orinoco rivers.
The P. s. pallidus subspecies lives near the city of Belém in Brazil. This is in the Pará state.
These birds like many types of wooded areas. This includes rainforests and open woodlands. They live from near sea level up to about 100 meters (330 feet) high.
White-Bellied Piculet Behavior
How They Move Around
The white-bellied piculet stays in the same area all year. It does not migrate to other places.
What They Eat
These birds have been seen eating in pairs. But scientists do not know much about their diet. We also don't know how they find their food.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The breeding season for the white-bellied piculet is likely from September to November. Not much else is known about how they raise their young.
Their Calls
The white-bellied piculet makes a very high-pitched sound. It is a "descending, shivering, slow trill."
Status of the White-Bellied Piculet
The IUCN is an organization that checks on animals. They first thought this bird was of "Least Concern." But since 2012, they have listed it as "Vulnerable."
Being "Vulnerable" means the bird is at risk. Its main threat is deforestation. This happens when forests are cut down. The land is then used for farming or raising animals.
See also
In Spanish: Picumnus spilogaster para niños
