Woodpeckers (Picidae)

Smoky-brown Woodpecker (Veniliornis fumigatus) - HBW 7, p. 500

French: Pic enfumé German: Rußspecht Spanish: Carpintero Ahumado
Other common names: Brown Woodpecker

Taxonomy: Picus fumigatus d’Orbigny, 1840, Yungas, Bolivia.
Relationships uncertain; molecular-genetic analysis suggests very close relationship to Picoides villosus, perhaps to extent that the two could justifiably be treated as congeneric; further study needed. Races intergrade to some extent; birds from SW Ecuador may be intermediate between nominate and race obscuratus. N Colombian (Santa Marta) birds previously separated as race exsul, those of NE Venezuelan mountains as tectricialis, and those of C Colombia and Ecuador as aureus, but all appear insufficiently different to warrant recognition. Five subspecies cu.. View all taxonomy...

Subspecies and Distribution:

oleagineus (Reichenbach, 1854) - E Mexico.
sanguinolentus (P. L. Sclater, 1859) - C & S Mexico to W Panama.
reichenbachi (Cabanis & Heine, 1863) - N & NE Venezuela.

See all 5 subspecies

oleagineus (Reichenbach, 1854) - E Mexico.
sanguinolentus (P. L. Sclater, 1859) - C & S Mexico to W Panama.
reichenbachi (Cabanis & Heine, 1863) - N & NE Venezuela.
fumigatus (d’Orbigny, 1840) - E Panama and Colombia S through Ecuador and E Peru to W Bolivia and NW Argentina (Jujuy).
obscuratus Chapman, 1927 - SW Ecuador (El Oro and W Loja) to NW Peru (Huancabamba and bend of R Marañón).