The Rufous Woodpecker, (Micropternus brachyurus) is a brown woodpecker

Woodpecker

Woodpeckers are near passerine birds of the order Piciformes. They are one subfamily in the family Picidae, which also includes the piculets and wrynecks. They are found worldwide and include about 180 species....

 found in South Asia

South Asia

South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...

. Its genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

, Micropternus, is monotypic

Monotypic

In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...

.

It builds its nest

Bird nest

A bird nest is the spot in which a bird lays and incubates its eggs and raises its young. Although the term popularly refers to a specific structure made by the bird itself—such as the grassy cup nest of the American Robin or Eurasian Blackbird, or the elaborately woven hanging nest of the...

 within the nest of acrobat ants (Crematogaster). This bird is not considered threatened by the IUCN.

Description and systematics

It is a medium-sized, rufous-coloured woodpecker with a short crest and a short, weak and slightly curved black bill. It has black vermiculations on its rufous body and a dark eye stripe. The upperparts are finely barred black. The male has small red patches at the eyes.
This singular species was formerly placed in the South America

South America

South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...

n genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 Celeus

Celeus (bird)

Celeus is a genus of woodpeckers found in tropical and subtropical forests and woodland in Central and South America. Its members are:* Cinnamon Woodpecker, Celeus loricatus* Scaly-breasted Woodpecker, Celeus grammicus...

simply due to its somewhat similar appearance and for lack of a better alternative, but it differed from these species in many aspects. DNA sequence

DNA sequence

The sequence or primary structure of a nucleic acid is the composition of atoms that make up the nucleic acid and the chemical bonds that bond those atoms. Because nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, are unbranched polymers, this specification is equivalent to specifying the sequence of...

 analyses have confirmed that the Rufous Woodpecker should be placed in the monotypic

Monotypic

In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...

 genus Micropternus. Its closest relatives seem to be the enigmatic woodpeckers of the genus Meiglyptes

Meiglyptes

Meiglyptes is a genus of bird in the Picidae family.It contains the following 3 species:* Buff-rumped Woodpecker * Black-and-buff Woodpecker * Buff-necked Woodpecker...

and possibly Hemicircus

Hemicircus

Hemicircus is a genus of birds in the Picidae family.It contains the following two species:* Grey-and-buff Woodpecker * Heart-spotted Woodpecker...

.