Straight-billed Woodcreeper

The Straight-billed Woodcreeper, Dendroplex picus, is a slim, medium-sized bird, measuring 18 to 22 cm in length. It is distinguished by its straight upper bill and upward curving lower mandible. Both sexes exhibit similar plumage, characterized by a dusky stripe behind the eye, brown ear coverts with buffy white streaks, and a rufous-chestnut tail and flight feathers.

Identification Tips

Adults have a pale supercilium and eyering, with the crown and nape dark brown to blackish, adorned with buffy white streaks. The underparts are brown with a scaly appearance on the upper breast, transitioning to linear scales on the lower breast and flanks. The iris is reddish brown to dark brown, and the bill varies from light grayish horn to dull whitish, with the base of the maxilla typically darker.

Habitat

This species thrives in a variety of lowland habitats, from forest edges and open woodlands to mangroves and plantations. It is generally found in open to semi-open areas rather than dense forests.

Distribution

The Straight-billed Woodcreeper is widespread, found in Panama, Trinidad, and every mainland South American country except Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. It is typically seen below 600 m in elevation but can be found up to 1,400 m in some regions.

Behaviour

The Straight-billed Woodcreeper is a year-round resident, foraging mostly alone or occasionally in pairs or family groups. It hitches up trunks and branches, gleaning and picking prey from bark and crevices.

Song & Calls

Its vocal repertoire includes a rapid series of high-frequency notes, often heard at dawn and dusk. Calls include "dit," "chip," and "tschup."

Breeding

Breeding seasons vary across its range, with nesting in cavities made by woodpeckers or natural formations. Clutch sizes are typically two or three eggs, with both parents believed to incubate and brood.

Similar Species

Subspecies of the Straight-billed Woodcreeper vary in plumage and size, with differences in the extent of rufous coloration, size of bill, and markings.

Diet and Feeding

The diet consists mainly of arthropods, supplemented by other invertebrates and small vertebrates. It forages by hitching along trunks and branches, gleaning and picking prey from various surfaces.

Conservation status

The IUCN has classified the Straight-billed Woodcreeper as Least Concern, with an estimated population of at least five million mature individuals and no immediate threats identified. It is fairly common to common in most of its range, showing low sensitivity to human disturbance.