Picid in Focus: Powerful Woodpecker

Male Powerful Woodpecker Campephilus pollens. Female lacks red crown. Photo taken in November 2011 at the Colibri del Sol Reserve, Colombia, by Trevor Ellery of PROAVES

Picid in Focus: Ecuadorian Piculet

Ecuadorian Piculet Picumnus sclateri. Restricted in range, it is found only on the western slope of the Andes in Ecuador and north-west Peru. Photo of this female (male has yellow spotting on forecrown) taken by Pete Ferrera in southern Ecuador, November 2011.

Sounds: Andaman Woodpecker

This species is endemic to the Andaman Islands (India) in the Bay of Bengal. It is not uncommon in the islands but threatened by general development and clearance of its forest habitat.

Calls and drumming of a pair of Dryocopus hodgei

Recorded on Havelock Island, Andaman Islands, India, in November 2011, by Gerard Gorman.

Genus: Picumnus

This genus consists of 26 piculet species. These include some of the smallest picids in the world. Photo of a male Lafresnaye's Piculet Picumnus lafresnayi taken by Pete Ferrera in Southern Ecuador, November 2011.

Picid in Focus: Black-rumped Flameback

Female Black-rumped Flameback Dinopium benghalense. Puncticolle race. This is a female as the fore-crown is black dotted white and only the hind-crown and crest red. Chennai, India, November 2011, Gerard Gorman.

Picid in Focus: Bearded Woodpecker

Male Bearded Woodpecker Dendropicos namaquus. This is the largest woodland-dwelling woodpecker in Africa. Rather shy, when disturbed or directly approached, invariably flying some distance before alighting again. Often first located by virtue of its rather distinctive contact tapping and drumming. Outside the breeding season usually seen foraging alone. Sometimes placed in a a separate genus Thripias. Photo taken in South Africa by Warwick Tarboton.