Picumnus albosquamatus d'Orbigny, 1840

Taxonomy and Size

The white-wedged piculet (Picumnus albosquamatus d'Orbigny, 1840) measures 10 to 11 cm (3.9 to 4.3 in) long and weighs 9 to 11 g (0.32 to 0.39 oz).

Nominate Male Cap and Head Markings

For adult males of the nominate subspecies, the cap is black, with wide red tips on forehead feathers and small white spots on the remainder of the cap. Their face and hindneck are mostly white with a strong brown tinge, and have a white stripe behind the eye.

Nominate Male Upperparts

Their upperparts range from warm brown to grayish brown, and sometimes have faint pale feather tips. Their flight feathers are dark brown, with narrow buffish white edges on the secondaries and tertials.

Nominate Male Tail

Their tail is dark brown: the innermost pair of feathers have mostly white inner webs, and the outer two pairs have a wide white patch near the end.

Nominate Male Throat and Underparts

Their chin and throat feathers are pale buffish white with black edges, creating a scaly appearance. Their underparts are mostly whitish with a pale buff wash; the breast has a scalloped appearance from black feather edges, while the belly is plain or slightly streaked.

Nominate Male Soft Parts

Their iris is brown, the orbital ring is grayish, the bill is black with a paler base on the mandible, and the legs are gray to green-gray.

Adult Female Plumage

Adult females are identical to males except they have no red on the forehead.

Juvenile Plumage

Juveniles are duller than adults, and their underparts look more barred than scalloped.

Subspecies P. a. guttifer Size and Plumage

Subspecies P. a. guttifer is larger than the nominate subspecies. It is usually darker, with more contrast on the face, a more distinct scalloped pattern on the upperparts, and warm buff underparts with wider black feather edges.

Subspecies P. a. guttifer Male Markings

Males of this subspecies also have more red on the crown than nominate males.

Nominate Subspecies Distribution

The nominate subspecies of white-wedged piculet occurs in north-central and eastern Bolivia, southwestern Brazil's Mato Grosso state, northern Paraguay, and northwestern Argentina.

Subspecies P. a. guttifer Distribution

P. a. guttifer occurs in eastern and central Brazil, ranging from Pará and Maranhão south to Mato Grosso and São Paulo.

Habitat

This species inhabits dense areas within moderately dry cerrado, and also occupies gallery forest.

Elevation Range

Its elevation range extends from the lowlands up to 2,100 m (6,900 ft).