Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker Yungipicus maculatus Scientific name definitions

13–14 cm; 22–30 g. Male  has dark brown forehead to hindcrown, blacker at sides, small red patch at side of hindcrown; white supercilium from rear of eye to nape side, blackish-brown ear-coverts back to hindneck; buffish-brown upper lores, white lower lores and broad band through cheek to lower neck side; dark brown malar stripe variably spotted or streaked white; white chin, greyer throat and uppermost breast, brown spotting on lower throat and throat sides; dark brown hindneck and upperparts, white bars on lower mantle, scapulars and back, whiter rump with a few dark spots or bars; white uppertail-coverts broadly streaked dark; brown upperwing darker on primaries and secondaries, coverts narrowly tipped white, flight-feathers narrowly barred white; uppertail dark brown, barred white; underparts below throat pale buffish white, breast washed ­yellow-buff and with dark brown spots, belly and flanks streaked, whitish undertail-coverts broadly streaked dark; fairly long bill slightly chisel-tipped, culmen barely curved, dark grey, paler base; iris brown to brownish-red; legs brownish to olive-brown. Female  has slightly longer bill, wing and tail than male, lacks red on hindcrown. Juvenile much as adult, but browner with heavier pale barring above, markings below less sharp. Race <em>validirostris</em> is shorter-tailed than nominate, darker above, has rump more barred (often fully so), white supercilium  usually continuing behind ear-coverts, male with red reduced to small line on hindcrown side; fulvifasciatus  is still darker than previous, almost black above, has pale bars tinged buff, rump unmarked white, more white behind ear-coverts (often meeting white of supercilium), stronger buff wash below.

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. ramsayi, P. canicapillus, P. nanus and P. moluccensis, 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. Closely related to P. temminckii, although one molecular study (in which temminckii not sampled) (3 Weibel, A.C. and Moore, W.S. (2002). Molecular phylogeny of a cosmopolitan group of woodpeckers (genus Picoides) based on COI and cyt b mitochondrial gene sequences. Mol. Phyl. & Evol.. 22(1): 65–75. Close ) suggested possible sister relationship with P. canicapillus. Usually considered conspecific with P. ramsayi, but fairly recently separated on characters of latter’s nearest-neighbour P. m. fulvifasciatus that can be scored against P. ramsayi as follows: brownish-black vs mid-brown general coloration (2); presence of white spotting on wings and coverts (3); black-spotted breast on yellowish-cream background, with narrow white-spotted black malar vs soft grey-and-buff streaks below, including broad mid-brown malar, with ill-defined yellow breastband (3); small red nape-side patches vs full orange-red nape  on male (ns[2]). Other named races are menagei (Sibuyan), leytensis (Samar, Calicoan, Leyte, Bohol) and apo (Mt Apo, on Mindanao), all considered insufficiently distinct. Three 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 to dense primary and secondary forest to cloudforest, mature mixed plantations, forest edge, and woods along rivers, also grassy clearings with scattered trees; typically, in areas with many dead, often rather small, trees. Forages out into recently burned clearings where dead trees present. From sea-level, but mostly above 500 m, to 1350 m, locally to 2500 m.

Resident.

Insects  , mostly ants, also grubs and other larvae  . Singly, in pairs, or in small family parties of up to five birds; often joins mixed-species flocks with tits (Paridae), nuthatches (Sitta) and other small birds. Forages mostly in upper levels, above 9 m, on twigs and smaller branches, also on trunks ; dead trees or trees with dead branches clearly favoured. Pecks and hammers, and gleans from bark and foliage.

Slightly descending stuttered series , “pilt-pilt-pilt-pilt-pilt”, c. 2–2·5 seconds long, irregularly repeated; also single “pit”, more commonly “pitit”; single “chrrit” notes apparently as long-distance signals. Drums.

Season Feb–Aug; nestlings found in Feb. Nest-hole  in tree; no other information.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Generally common to locally common, and the most abundant woodpecker within its range. Numbers thought to be stable, and no evidence for any declines or substantial threats. Appears to be reasonably adaptable, but little is known of its breeding biology and requirements. Further study needed.