Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)

Red-headed Woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus

Current view: Data table and detailed info

Taxonomy

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

IUCN Red list criteria met and history

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
-	-	-

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2018	Least Concern
2016	Near Threatened	A2bc+3bc+4bc
2012	Near Threatened	A2bc+3bc+4bc
2008	Near Threatened	A2b,c; A3b,c; A4b,c
2004	Near Threatened
2000	Lower Risk/Least Concern
1994	Lower Risk/Least Concern
1988	Lower Risk/Least Concern

Species attributes

Migratory status	full migrant	Forest dependency	Medium
Land mass type	Land-mass type - continent	Average mass	-

Extent of occurrence (EOO)

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence breeding/resident (km2)	6,840,000	medium
Extent of Occurrence non-breeding (km2)	4,680,000	medium
Number of locations		-
Fragmentation		-

Population and trend

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
No. of mature individuals		medium	estimated	2004
Population trend	Decreasing	medium	estimated	-
Decline (3 years/1 generation past)		-	-	-
Decline (5 years/1 generation past)		-	-	-
Decline (10 years/1 generation past)		-	-	-
Decline (10 years/3 generation future)		-	-	-
Decline (10 years/3 generation past and future)		-	-	-
Number of subpopulations		-	-	-
Largest subpopulations		-	-	-
Generation length (yrs)	5.2	-	-	-

Population justification: The population size has not been quantified, but is estimated to number >10,000 mature individuals.

Trend justification: This species is thought to have undergone a decrease in North America. Taken from long-term trends (Christmas Bird Count data for 1966-2017), data suggest an annual decline of 0.78% (0.26-1.48% annual decline). This would equate to a reduction of 11.51% (4.03-20.79%) over three generations (T. Meehan in litt. 2018).

Country/territory distribution

Country/Territory	Occurrence status	Presence	Resident	Breeding	Passage
Canada	N	Extant		Yes	Yes
Mexico	N	Extant
St Pierre and Miquelon (to France)	V	Extant			Yes
USA	N	Extant	Yes

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)

Country/Territory	IBA Name
USA	Allegan State Game Area & Kalamazoo River (Galesburg to Saugatuck)
USA	Cache River SNA
USA	Confidential
USA	Fort Chaffee
USA	Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area & National Wildlife Refuge
USA	Shugart/Felsenthal Red-cockaded Woodpecker

Habitats & altitude

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Artificial/Terrestrial	Arable Land	suitable	non-breeding
Artificial/Terrestrial	Arable Land	suitable	breeding
Artificial/Terrestrial	Pastureland	suitable	breeding
Artificial/Terrestrial	Pastureland	suitable	non-breeding
Artificial/Terrestrial	Rural Gardens	suitable	non-breeding
Artificial/Terrestrial	Rural Gardens	suitable	breeding
Artificial/Terrestrial	Urban Areas	suitable	non-breeding
Artificial/Terrestrial	Urban Areas	suitable	breeding
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Dry	major	non-breeding
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Dry	major	breeding
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland	suitable	non-breeding
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland	suitable	breeding
Forest	Temperate	major	non-breeding
Forest	Temperate	major	breeding
Grassland	Subtropical/Tropical Dry	suitable	non-breeding
Grassland	Subtropical/Tropical Dry	suitable	breeding
Grassland	Temperate	suitable	non-breeding
Grassland	Temperate	suitable	breeding
Savanna	Dry	suitable	non-breeding
Savanna	Dry	suitable	breeding
Altitude		Occasional altitudinal limits

Threats & impact

Threat (level 1)

Threat (level 2)

Impact and Stresses

Agriculture & aquaculture

Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Agro-industry farming

Timing

Scope

Severity

Impact

Ongoing

Majority (50-90%)

Slow, Significant Declines

Medium Impact: 6

Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion

Biological resource use

Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Persecution/control

Timing

Scope

Severity

Impact

Past, Unlikely to Return

Minority (<50%)

Unknown

Past Impact

Stresses
Species mortality

Climate change & severe weather

Temperature extremes

Timing

Scope

Severity

Impact

Ongoing

Majority (50-90%)

Slow, Significant Declines

Medium Impact: 6

Stresses
Species disturbance

Human intrusions & disturbance

Work & other activities

Timing

Scope

Severity

Impact

Ongoing

Unknown

Stresses
Species disturbance

Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases

Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Sturnus vulgaris

Timing

Scope

Severity

Impact

Ongoing

Minority (<50%)

Unknown

Stresses
Competition

Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases

Problematic native species/diseases - Accipiter striatus

Timing

Scope

Severity

Impact

Ongoing

Minority (<50%)

Slow, Significant Declines

Low Impact: 5

Stresses
Species mortality

Natural system modifications

Other ecosystem modifications

Timing

Scope

Severity

Impact

Ongoing

Minority (<50%)

Slow, Significant Declines

Low Impact: 5

Stresses
Ecosystem degradation

Pollution

Agricultural & forestry effluents - Type Unknown/Unrecorded

Timing

Scope

Severity

Impact

Ongoing

Minority (<50%)

Unknown

Stresses
Ecosystem degradation

Transportation & service corridors

Roads & railroads

Timing

Scope

Severity

Impact

Ongoing

Minority (<50%)

Unknown

Stresses
Species mortality

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2019) Species factsheet: Melanerpes erythrocephalus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 15/12/2019. Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2019) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 15/12/2019.