Sunda pygmy woodpecker

The Sunda pygmy woodpecker (Yungipicus moluccensis), also known as the Sunda woodpecker, is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Some taxonomic authorities continue to place this species in the genus Dendrocopos or Picoides.

Sunda pygmy woodpecker
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Piciformes
Family: Picidae
Genus: Yungipicus
Species:
Y. moluccensis
Binomial name
Yungipicus moluccensis
(Gmelin, 1788)
Synonyms

Picoides moluccensis
Dendrocopos moluccensis

Description

It is a small sized woodpecker (Size range: 11.5-12.5 cm). Greyish brown capped head; ear covers dark brown with two rather broad whitish grey bands narrowing towards neck. Upper parts greyish brown with white wings tipped with white thus appearing striped. Tail short and blackish with white bands. Lores and throat white leading into dirty white underparts. Upper breast streaked with brown reducing towards vent. Whitish underwing coverts with pale brown. Sexes dimorphic. Males have a reddish orange crown which is absent in females.[2]

Adult Sunda woodpecker

Distribution

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical mangrove forest, and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.[3]

Ecology and Natural History

A common visitor to urban areas and forests in Singapore. Often found singly or in pairs rapidly moving up trees. Found from ground right up into the topmost branches of trees on dead branches.[2]

References
  1. BirdLife International (2012). "Picoides moluccensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. http://singaporebirds.net/npassers_01/sunda_pygmy_woodpecker.html
  3. Robson, Craig, and Richard Allen. New Holland field guide to the birds of South-East Asia. New Holland Publishers, 2005.


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