Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This newly-split woodpecker appears to be very rare within its small range, and the total population is therefore thought to be very small. Habitat within its range has suffered extensive conversion and fragmentation, therefore a continuing population decline is inferred. For these reasons it has been classified as Endangered.
Population justification
There are no published population estimates but the species appears to be very rare. Van Balen (1999) did not record it in any of the 19 Javan forest fragments he surveyed whereas all other woodpecker species on Java were recorded in between two and ten of the fragments (M. Lammertink in litt. 2014). The total population is likely to be fewer than 2,500 mature individuals.
Trend justification
The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction (del Hoyo et al. 2002).
Meiglyptes tristis is restricted to western Java, Indonesia, where it is described as rare (Winkler et al. 1995, del Hoyo et al. 2002, M. Lammertink in litt. 2014).
The species is found in primary and secondary forests including rather open coastal habitats as well as inland (del Hoyo et al. 2002). It is most common at edges, around clearings and in areas of second growth in forest and uses mature rubber stands and orchards (Winkler et al. 1995, del Hoyo et al. 2002).
On Java, most forest below 1,000 m, and in some areas up to 1,500 m, has been cleared (van Balen et al. 2011). Habitat and loss and degradation is driven primarily by agricultural expansion, logging, mining, development and uncontrolled fire, even within protected areas.
Conservation and research actions underway
No targeted actions are known.
Conservation and research actions proposed
Clarify the range and obtain a population estimate. Determine its precise ecological requirements and its ability to persist in degraded and fragmented habitats. Ensure the effective protection of existing protected areas in which it occurs.
17-18cm. Small, short-tailed woodpecker heavily barred black and white. Head and neck to upper breast are grey-brown with narrow pale buff vermiculations. Underparts more solidly back, rump creamy. The sharp, longish beak is black. Males posses a red malar patch. Similar spp. M. grammithorax (split from present species) is much buffer overall and has close barring across the entire underparts. Voice. Call is a single or double 'pit' note; also has a soft, wavering rattle that can last 2 seconds. Drumming is weak, 18 to over 40 beats at a rate of 15 per second and becoming slower during the roll.
Text account compilers
Butchart, S., Ekstrom, J., Symes, A. & Taylor, J.
Contributors
Lammertink, M.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: White-rumped Woodpecker Meiglyptes tristis. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/white-rumped-woodpecker-meiglyptes-tristis on 22/12/2024.
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 22/12/2024.