The speckled piculet

A speckled piculet perches on a tree at Donghu Park in Luohu District in this April 3, 2021 photo.

Have you ever found yourself strolling through a park and then, out of the blue, hear a very loud drumming sound in the woods? Well, it definitely must have come from the beautiful speckled piculet (Picumnus innominatus), the only woodpecker that can be found in our amazingly diverse city.

有这样一件奇事，不知大家是否曾经碰上过：在公园里漫步的时候，密林中忽然传来一声声响亮的斫木声。很显然，这声音的来源就是深圳唯一的啄木鸟——斑姬啄木鸟。

Measuring only 9 or 10 cm in length, the speckled piculet is a very small bird, which nevertheless can perform a powerful head bang to open holes in the trees, to build a nest or find some food.

斑姬啄木鸟体型极小，仅有9-10厘米长，却有着非常强壮的喙部，能够在树干上啄木取食，开洞筑巢。

A speckled piculet perches on a tree at Donghu Park in Luohu District in this April 3, 2021 photo.

These little beauties have a reddish forehead; the color turns into an olive green that covers the entire back and wings. Their eyes are crossed by a broad dark patch with a beautiful white frame surrounding it. The body of this fantastic little bird is covered by dark speckles, giving them their name and making them an absolute pleasure to witness.

它们的前额沾红色，背上及双翼覆羽为橄榄绿色，头部具宽阔的深色贯眼纹及白色眉纹，此外全身还遍布密集的深色斑点，在野外极易辨认，也因此得名“斑姬啄木鸟”。

An interesting fact about piculets is that they open holes on lower branches, dead trees or small trunks, so it is fairly easy to spot them if you can follow their sound.

斑姬啄木鸟野外易见的另一个原因来自它们的习性。它们喜欢在低矮的枝桠、枯木和树干上活动，跟着响亮的斫木声，你很容易就能发现它们的身影。

A speckled piculet perches on a tree at Donghu Park in Luohu District in this April 3, 2021 photo.

The breeding season for speckled piculets starts in January and goes through the end of spring, during which time the female will lay up to four eggs per clutch. Both parents will help incubate for about eleven days before the newborns hatch.

斑姬啄木鸟每年1月开始繁殖，繁殖期将持续到春季末尾。雌鸟每窝最多产4只卵，由亲鸟共同孵化11天后，雏鸟破壳。