Voice
A sharp 'tsit', a high-pitched twittering 'chi-titititi', a squeaky 'sik-sik-sik'. Also a loud, persistent tapping that sometimes becomes a loud 'drum-roll'.
Speckled Piculet (Picumnus innominatus) [XC348335]
by Peter Boesman from Mae Phoe Bird Trail, Doi Angkhang, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand (call, drumming)
Speckled Piculet (Picumnus innominatus) [XC369459]
by Kevin Cheng from Deshadan Mountain Resort, Munnar, Idukki County, Kerala, India (call)
Subspecies
Despite enormous geographical separation, appears to be closely related to congeners.
Proposed subspecies simlaensis (north-western Himalayas) and avunculorum (south-western India) now considered synonymous with, respectively, nominate and subspecies malayorum.
The following 3 subspecies are recognised:
innominatus Burton, 1836 - North-eastern Afghanistan, northern Pakistan and Kashmir east through northern India and Nepal to south-eastern Tibet and Assam.
malayorum Hartert, 1912 - Peninsular and north-eastern India (except Assam) east to south-western China (southern Yunnan), south to Indochina, Sumatra and northern Borneo.
chinensis (Hargitt, 1881) - Central, eastern and southern China (southern from Sichuan and southern Jiangsu).