Photo: J.M.Garg / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker
Yungipicus canicapillus
Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker (Yungipicus canicapillus) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker (Yungipicus canicapillus) is a member of the Picidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 25.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Piciformes
- Family Picidae Woodpeckers
- Genus Yungipicus
- Species canicapillus
Where it lives
Eastern Asia to northern India, Sumatra and Borneo
Quick facts
- Weight
- 25.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Picidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker 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 Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker (Yungipicus canicapillus) is a member of the Picidae family, within the order Piciformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR, PAL e Asia to n India, Sumatra and Borneo.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 25.8 g, with a wing length of about 8.3 cm and a tail of around 4.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker?
The Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker is a small bird that weighs around 25.8 g.
Where does the Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker live?
The Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker is found across Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR, PAL e Asia to n India, Sumatra and Borneo, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker belong to?
The Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker (Yungipicus canicapillus) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker eat?
The Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker migrate?
The Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker make?
1 real field recording of the Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
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.