The brown-capped pygmy woodpecker or Indian pygmy woodpecker is a species of very small woodpecker found in Nepal, India and Sri Lanka. Some taxonomic authorities continue to place this species in the genus Dendrocopos or Picoides.
Region
Indian Subcontinent
Typical Environment
Occurs from the lowlands of peninsular India north to the Himalayan foothills of Nepal and in parts of Sri Lanka. It favors open woodland, dry and moist deciduous forests, riverine groves, orchards, plantations, and well-treed parks and gardens. Often found at forest edges and in secondary growth where thin branches and dead stubs are abundant. It tolerates human-modified landscapes more than many woodpeckers and can be local in mangroves and scrub with scattered trees.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2000 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also called the Indian pygmy woodpecker, it is among the smallest woodpeckers in South Asia. It is sometimes placed in the genera Dendrocopos or Picoides by different taxonomic authorities. Its drumming is weak and brief compared with larger woodpeckers, and it often forages quietly along fine branches. Pairs excavate their own nest cavities in soft or dead wood.
Temperament
active but unobtrusive
Flight Pattern
undulating with short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly, in pairs, or small family groups, and often joins mixed-species flocks in wooded habitats. Both sexes excavate nest cavities in soft or dead wood and share incubation and chick-rearing. Clutch size is typically small, and birds are strongly territorial around the nest site.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Calls are thin, high-pitched ‘tsee’ notes and rapid, squeaky rattles. Drumming is soft and brief, more a light rattle than a powerful roll.
Plumage
Fine black-and-white barring on the back and wings with streaked whitish underparts; crown and nape warm brown giving a capped look. Face shows pale supercilium and dark eye-stripe. Males typically have a small red nuchal patch.
Diet
Feeds primarily on small insects and their larvae, including ants, beetles, and termites gleaned from bark and twigs. It also probes dead wood and thin branches for concealed prey and takes spiders and other small arthropods. Occasional consumption of fruit or nectar is reported where available.
Preferred Environment
Forages on small branches, vine tangles, and dead stubs in open forest, groves, orchards, and gardens. Often works the mid to outer canopy and may hang acrobatically while probing crevices.
