Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker (Yungipicus maculatus) [XC211957]
by Niels Poul Dreyer from Milan Falls, Eastern Samar, Eastern Visayas, Philippines (call)
Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker (Yungipicus maculatus) [XC179603]
by Gerard Gorman from Balintawak, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines (call)
Subspecies
Forms a superspecies with Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker (Picoides temminckii). Distinctive subspecies ramsayi may be a separate species, perhaps even derived from Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker (Picoides temminckii), on basis of plumage and vocal differences. Other named subspecies are menagei (Sibuyan), leytensis (Samar, Calicoan, Leyte, Bohol), apo (Mt Apo, on Mindanao) and siasiensis (Siasi I, in Sulus), all considered insufficiently distinct.
The following 4 subspecies are recognised:
validirostris (Blyth, 1849) - Luzon, Lubang, Marinduque, Mindoro and Catanduanes.
ramsayi (Hargitt, 1881) - Sulu Arch. (Bongao, Jolo, Tawitawi, Sanga Sanga and Sibutu). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Sulu Pygmy Woodpecker (Picoides ramsayi).