The rufous piculet is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. This species is one of the world's smallest woodpeckers and is the smallest woodpecker found outside the Americas. In this species the length can range from 8 to 10 cm and the average body mass is around 9.2 g (0.32 oz).
Region
Southeast Asia
Typical Environment
Occurs from southern Myanmar and peninsular Thailand through the Malay Peninsula to Sumatra, Borneo, and nearby islands. It inhabits lowland and hill evergreen forests, forest edges, and mature secondary growth, and is especially fond of bamboo and tangles of vines. The species also ventures into swampy forest and selectively logged areas if sufficient understory persists. It is typically an understory and midstory bird, moving along slim branches and saplings.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The rufous piculet is among the world’s smallest woodpeckers and the smallest found outside the Americas. It forages nimbly on thin twigs, stems, and bamboo, gleaning tiny insects where larger woodpeckers cannot. Males show a small yellowish to orange forecrown patch. It often joins mixed-species flocks in the forest understory.
Temperament
skulking and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly or in pairs, frequently accompanying mixed-species flocks in the understory. It forages by gleaning and pecking at thin twigs, dead wood, and bamboo, rarely engaging in loud drumming. Nesting is in small cavities excavated in soft dead wood or bamboo, with both sexes likely participating in excavation and care.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Gives thin, high-pitched notes and rapid ticking sequences, often a sharp ‘tik-tik-tik’ accelerating into a short trill. Vocalizations are soft and can be easily overlooked amid forest background sounds.
Plumage
Compact piculet with mostly rufous head and underparts, olive-brown to greenish upperparts, and dark wings; tail very short. Feathers appear smooth with minimal barring; undertail can be slightly darker. Male shows a tiny yellow to orange forecrown spot; female lacks this.
Diet
Feeds mainly on tiny arthropods, including ants, termites, beetles, and their larvae. It probes crevices in dead twigs and bamboo and flakes soft bark to extract prey. Gleaning rather than heavy drilling is typical, allowing it to exploit very thin substrates. Occasionally takes small spiders and other invertebrates.
Preferred Environment
Understory and midstory of lowland and hill forests, especially areas with bamboo, vine tangles, and dead twig clusters. Often forages along forest edges, along trails, and in mature secondary growth where thin stems are abundant.
