Little Woodpecker
Veniliornis passerinus
The Little Woodpecker (Veniliornis passerinus) is a uncommon woodpecker found in 10 countries, weighing about 32 g. The little woodpecker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae.
About the Little Woodpecker
The little woodpecker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in every mainland South American country except Chile, Suriname, and Uruguay.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The little woodpecker is about 14 to 15 cm (5.5 to 5.9 in) long and weighs 24 to 37 g (0.85 to 1.3 oz). Males and females have the same plumage except on their heads. Males of the nominate subspecies passerinus have a red forehead, crown, and nape with dark feather bases showing through. The female is grayish olive-brown with indistinct white spots where the male is red. Adults of both sexes have a mostly dark brownish-olive face with pale barring on the chin and throat. Their upperparts are mostly bronzy olive-green with red feather tips, and pale barring on the rump.
What the Little Woodpecker sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
The Little Woodpecker can be seen all year round, with peak activity in October. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Little Woodpecker?
- The little woodpecker is about 14 to 15 cm (5.5 to 5.9 in) long and weighs 24 to 37 g (0.85 to 1.3 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Little Woodpecker?
- The Little Woodpecker is a small sized bird weighing about 32 g.
- Where can you see a Little Woodpecker?
- The Little Woodpecker occurs in 10 countries, including Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and Argentina.
- What does a Little Woodpecker sound like?
- You can listen to a field recording of the Little Woodpecker on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Little Woodpecker?
- The Little Woodpecker is most easily confused with the White-spotted Woodpecker, the Checkered Woodpecker and the Striped Woodpecker.
- Is the Little Woodpecker endangered?
- The Little Woodpecker is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Little Woodpecker for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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