Photo: Joseph Smit / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Speckle-chested Piculet
Picumnus steindachneri
Speckle-chested Piculet (Picumnus steindachneri) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of South America.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Speckle-chested Piculet (Picumnus steindachneri) is a member of the Picidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 9.9 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Piciformes
- Family Picidae Woodpeckers
- Genus Picumnus
- Species steindachneri
Quick facts
- Weight
- 9.9 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Picidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Speckle-chested Piculet is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Speckle-chested Piculet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Speckle-chested Piculet (Picumnus steindachneri) is a species of bird in the Picidae family, part of the order Piciformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA Andes of n Peru (Amazonas and San Martín).
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 9.9 g, with a wing length of about 5.5 cm and a tail of around 3.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 7,118 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Speckle-chested Piculet?
The Speckle-chested Piculet is a very small bird that weighs around 9.9 g.
Where does the Speckle-chested Piculet live?
The Speckle-chested Piculet is found across South America with a range covering SA Andes of n Peru (Amazonas and San Martín), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Speckle-chested Piculet belong to?
The Speckle-chested Piculet (Picumnus steindachneri) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Speckle-chested Piculet eat?
The Speckle-chested Piculet is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Speckle-chested Piculet migrate?
The Speckle-chested Piculet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Speckle-chested Piculet endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Speckle-chested Piculet make?
1 real field recording of the Speckle-chested Piculet — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Speckle-chested Piculet's range?
The Speckle-chested Piculet has a mapped global range of about 7,118 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Suet Feeders for Woodpeckers
How to choose a suet feeder for woodpeckers — the styles compared, why a tail prop helps, and how to keep starlings off. A decision framework with the woodpecker species in the Birbs encyclopedia.
Meet the Picidae
A field guide to the Picidae family — 239 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.