Straight-billed Woodcreeper (Dendroplex picus)

Identification & Behavior: ~22.5 cm (8.8 in). The Straight-billed Woodcreeper has a heavily streaked head, throat, breast, and upper belly. The streaks are pale buffy. The throat and sides of the head are paler than the breast and belly. The bill is creamy white, pointy, and straight. It forages in the understory and midstory of river edge forest and also in semi-open habitats bordering bodies of water. It does not enter the forest interior. Except for their vocalizations, it is nearly indistinguishable from the Zimmer’s Woodcreeper but they only overlap in the limited range of the Zimmer’s Woodcreeper in Loreto. Also, see Striped Woodcreeper.

Status: The Straight-billed Woodcreeper is uncommon and widespread in Amazonia where it is known to range up to 1100 m along the foothill of the Andes. It also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Trepador de Pico Recto.

Sub-species: Straight-billed Woodcreeper (Dendroplex picus peruvianus), J. T. Zimmer, 1934.

Meaning of Name: Dendroplex: Gr. Dendron= tree, and plesso= to strike. picus: L. picus = woodpecker, a bird used in augury.

See more of the Family Furnariidae