Piciformes / Picidae / Sasia
White-browed Piculet
Sasia ochracea · 白眉棕啄木鸟
Introduction
A species in the family Picidae found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. It inhabits temperate forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. The population is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN.
Description
Grows to a length of up to 10 cm (4 in). Upper parts are olive-green tinged with chestnut; underparts are cinnamon or rufous, sometimes yellowish on the flanks. The tail is stubby and blackish. The crown is green, featuring a white streak above and immediately behind the eye, which is surrounded by a ring of bare pinkish or reddish skin. Males have a small golden-yellow patch on the forehead, which females lack. Juveniles are duller, greener above and greyer beneath. The beak is grey, the iris is red, and the legs are yellow or orange. The feet have three toes.
Identification
Can be confused with the rufous piculet in southern Myanmar and southeastern Thailand but differs by the white streak above the eye and a darker beak.
Distribution & Habitat
Native to tropical southeastern Asia, ranging from northern India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh through southern China to Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand. Habitats include dense wet or dry forest with vines and bamboo, scrub, and swampy woodlands. Found at altitudes of up to 2,600 m (8,500 ft).
Behavior & Ecology
Forages in the understory layer not far above the ground, pecking and probing with a sharp beak. Diet consists of small insects, bark beetles, ants, termites, spiders, and other small invertebrates. Often forages in pairs or joins small mixed-species flocks, sometimes descending to hop on the ground. Nests are made using pieces of broken bamboo manipulated with feet and beak. Breeding occurs between March and July.
Conservation
Assessed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Described as fairly common with a very extensive range. No particular threats are known, and the population is believed to be stable.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Piciformes
- Family
- Picidae
- Genus
- Sasia
Subspecies (3)
-
Sasia ochracea kinneari
southern China (Yunnan and Guangxi) and far northern Vietnam
Data Sources
Species description from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Bird images and sounds sourced from GBIF, contributed by citizen scientists worldwide under Creative Commons licenses.
Taxonomy data from AviList 2025.
