A small black and white speckled, perfectly camouflaged woodpecker, resident of thickly wooded forests in South India. It is differentiated from the grey-capped pygmy woodpecker by its dark brown streak above the head.
It is extremely difficult to spot as it sports a perfect camouflage helping it blend into the background woods. A distinct white streak alternating with a black streak runs across the sides of its head behind and below the eyes. It feeds on small insects and wild berries. Found singly or in pairs, flitting with great agility from branch to branch in search of food, stationary only for fleeting seconds. This makes it quite difficult to photograph. These photographs of the woodpecker were snapped in Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, a thickly wooded haven for bird watchers and nature enthusiasts.
Name
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Brown-capped Pygmy
Woodpecker
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Alternate name(s)
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Pygmy woodpecker
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Size
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House sparrow
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Occurrence
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Thickly wooded forest
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Status
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Uncommon
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Distinct features
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Black and white dappled
body and tail parts, white abdomen with brown streaks
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Sexes
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Alike overall; male a
narrow crimson band over its eyes
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