Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This woodpecker was recently-described from subfossil remains. It is likely to have persisted into the 17th century, but is long Extinct.
Population justification
None persisted to be documented in modern times.
Colaptes oceanicus was described from subfossil remains from Bermuda by Olson (2013). He reviewed historic accounts and regarded the species as likely to have persisted into the colonial period in the 1600s.
This species would probably have excavated nest holes in Sabal bermudana palm trees and in rotten limbs and stumps of hardwoods; these excavations would have been crucial for the evolution of the small owl Aegolius gradyi (Olson 2013).
The cause of extinction is unknown, but may have been driven by the decline of native cedar and palmetto trees following human colonisation, along with the arrival of alien predators and competitors.
Text account compilers
Taylor, J., Symes, A., Hermes, C., Martin, R.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Bermuda Flicker Colaptes oceanicus. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/bermuda-flicker-colaptes-oceanicus on 25/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 25/12/2024.