Sunda Pygmy Woodpecker Yungipicus moluccensis Scientific name definitions

13 cm; 15–18 g  Male  has blackish-brown forehead to hindneck, small red line at side of hindcrown, broad blackish-brown band through ear-coverts and down neck side, prominent dark malar stripe continuing to breast side; rest of head white; blackish-brown upperparts barred white, white rump and uppertail-coverts spotted and barred blackish, wing-coverts with white spots at tips, flight-feathers  with white spots forming bars; uppertail blackish-brown, central feathers with white spots, outers barred white; whitish underparts browner on breast, heavily dark-streaked; underwing and undertail barred brown and white; shortish bill rather straight, slightly chisel-tipped, grey, pale inner half; iris light brown; legs greyish. Differs from P. canicapillus mainly in smaller size, darker forehead, more solid facial markings, broader streaks below. Female lacks red on hindcrown. Juvenile  like adult but browner, duller, less contrastingly patterned, male with orange to red on nape more extensive than on adult. Race <em>grandis</em> is bigger and longer-tailed than nominate, has malar usually white-streaked, rump generally less barred, pale wingbars broader, underparts often washed yellow-buff and more finely streaked, tends to become larger and less heavily streaked from W to E.

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

This species, along with P. temminckii, P. kizuki, P. maculatus, P. ramsayi, P. canicapillus and P. nanus, was previously placed in Dendrocopos, but molecular studies indicate that they all form a separate clade of very small species, evidently sister to the P. tridactylus clade (1 Weibel, A. C., and W. S. Moore (2002). A test of a mitochondrial gene-based phylogeny of woodpeckers (genus Picoides) using an independent nuclear gene, β-Fibrinogen intron 7. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 22:247–257. Close , 2 Winkler, H., A. Gamauf, F. Nittinger, and E. Haring (2014). Relationships of Old World woodpeckers (Aves: Picidae) – new insights and taxonomic implications. Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien 116:69–86. Close ); all seven have been combined in Yungipicus by some authors. Present species was, until recently, treated as conspecific with P. nanus, but separated by recent authors (3 Rasmussen, P. C., and J. C. Anderton (2005). Birds of South Asia. The Ripley Guide. Volumes 1 and 2. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA and Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Close ) on “several characters”, enumerated here as: dark vs pale iris (3); lack of red eyering (2); possession of dark malar stripe (3); and heavier streaking below (ns[1]). Birds from Alor (C Lesser Sundas) described as race excelsior, but represent clinal variation. Two subspecies recognized.

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Light deciduous forest, secondary forest, bamboo, trees near cultivation, also tall trees near villages, old plantations, sometimes parks and gardens; also coastal scrub and mangroves, and Casuarina trees, especially in E of range. Mainly semi-evergreen forest and lower montane forest in Lesser Sundas. Mostly in lowlands; to 2200 m in Lesser Sundas.

Resident.

Insects  , particularly ants and other hymenopterans, beetles and their larvae, caterpillars; fruits, berries and flower nectar also taken. Usually solitary, also in pairs and family parties; joins mixed-species flocks. Moves slowly over dead trees or dead parts of trees when foraging for ants and other insects; prefers smaller branches and twigs  high up in trees, also forages on thin stems of shrubs close to ground. Gleaning from surface seems to be the commonest feeding method; also probes under surface layers of bark; sometimes hammers feverishly and loudly, but in most cases delivers only few pecks.

Common call  a fast, high-pitched trilled “kikikikikiki”; also a whirring “trrrrr-i-i” and “chiep-chiep-chiep”. Drums, c. 7 rolls per minute; individual roll fast, strong, at even pitch, c. 1 second in duration.

Season Mar–Aug in Peninsular Malaysia, and Apr–Jul, also Oct, in Sundas. Nest-hole  excavated 4·5 m (range 2–14 m, mostly 4–10 m) above ground in small dead branch, often on underside, entrance diameter c. 3·3 cm. Clutch 2–3 eggs; details of incubation and fledging periods not known.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Uncommon to locally common in Peninsular Malaysia and throughout Sundas. Appears to be fairly adaptable; some increases noted in areas where forests opened up, and probably inceasing generally with fragmentation of forests. Occurs in numerous protected areas, e.g. Sungei Buloh Nature Park (Singapore), Way Kambas National Park (Sumatra), Bako National Park (Borneo), Baluran National Park (Java) and Bali Barat National Park (Bali).