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The Japanese pygmy woodpecker or simply pygmy woodpecker is a species of woodpecker. It is found in coniferous and deciduous forests in Russia, China, Korea and Japan. This species has also been placed in the genus Dendrocopos or Picoides. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed it as a least-concern species.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The Japanese pygmy woodpecker is 13–15 cm (5.1–5.9 in) long. The crown is grey-brown. A white supercilium starts above the eye and continues to the neck and breast. The ear coverts are brown, and there is a white moustachial stripe and a grey-brown malar stripe. The chin and throat are white. The mantle and back are dark brown, with white bars. The upperwing coverts and flight feathers are brownish-black and have white bars. The breast has a brownish suffusion. The breast, flank and belly have variable streaks. The tail is blackish, with white bars on its outer feathers.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
When to see it
Peak activity in May · a variable species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Brown-capped Pygmy WoodpeckerYungipicus nanusThe brown-capped pygmy woodpecker has brownish cap from the forehead to hindneck.
Sunda Pygmy WoodpeckerYungipicus moluccensisThis is a small woodpecker with an overall length of around 13 cm (5.1 in).
Philippine Pygmy WoodpeckerYungipicus maculatusThe Philippine pygmy woodpecker, also known as the Philippine woodpecker, is a species of bird in the woodpecker family (Picidae).
Learn the Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker for real
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