The olivaceous piculet (Picumnus olivaceus) is a species of bird in subfamily Picumninae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found from Guatemala south through Central America and western South America to Peru.
Taxonomy and systematics
The olivaceous piculet has these six subspecies:
P. o. dimotus Bangs, 1903
P. o. flavotinctus Ridgway, 1889
P. o. olivaceus Lafresnaye, 1845
P. o. eisenmanni Phelps, W.H. Jr. & Aveledo, 1966
P. o. tachirensis Phelps, W.H. & Gilliard, 1941
P. o. harterti Hellmayr, 1909
The olivaceous piculet and the grayish piculet (P. granadensis) were at one time considered to be conspecific and are now treated as sister species. The "evidence for treatment as separate species is weak". Some authors have proposed splitting each of subspecies flavotinctus and olivaceous into two subspecies but those changes have not been accepted.
