Varzea piculet south. Its typical habitat is dense forest with vines and creepers on the Amazon floodplain and adjoining swampy forested areas, wooded islands and riverine woodland. It is a sedentary and non-migratory species. The varzea piculet is presumed to feed on small invertebrates like other members of the genus, but its diet has not been studied. Its breeding habits are also poorly known, but the breeding season may be from June to December, and young birds have been recorded in September. The varzea piculet is a poorly known bird with a restricted range in the Brazilian rainforest. It is threatened by
White-barred piculet northeastern Brazil; "P. c. thamnophiloides" found in southeastern Bolivia and northeastern Argentina; "P. c. tucumanus" found in northwestern Argentina; the Pilcomayo piculet, "P. c. pilcomayensis" found in southeastern Bolivia, Paraguay and northeastern Argentina; and the nominate subspecies "P. c. cirratus" found in southeastern Brazil, southern Mato Grosso and eastern Paraguay. The taxonomy of this species is difficult; the races "pilcomayensis", "thamnophiloides" and "tucumanus" intergrade in northern Argentina and are sometimes considered a separate species, and "pilcomayensis" intergrades with "cirratus" in eastern Paraguay. The northern subspecies, "confusus" and "macconnelli" may also be a distinct species. The white-barred piculet also hybridizes widely