Justification This woodpecker has a single tiny, declining population which is threatened by continued loss of mature forest to logging, dam construction, agriculture, military and golf course developments. These factors qualify it as Critically Endangered.

Family/Sub-family Picidae

Species name author (Seebohm, 1887)

Taxonomic source(s) Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)

Synonyms Sapheopipo noguchii BirdLife International (2004), Sapheopipo noguchii BirdLife International (2000), Sapheopipo noguchii Collar et al. (1994), Sapheopipo noguchii Collar and Andrew (1988), Sapheopipo noguchii Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)

Taxonomic note Sapheopipo noguchii (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) is placed in the genus Dendrocopos following Winkler et al. (2005).

Identification 31 cm. Medium-sized, dark woodpecker. Generally deep brown with reddish tips to feathers, brightest on lower rump and uppertail-coverts. White spots on primaries. Tan-brown lores, malar area and ear-coverts and paler brown throat. Male has dark red crown and nape streaked with blackish-brown and female has blackish-brown crown. Voice Sharp whit call and a variable kyu-kyu kup kup kup or kyu kyu kup.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

150 - 584

decreasing

590 km²

Yes

Range & population Dendreocopos noguchii is endemic to Okinawa Island, Japan, where it is confined to Kunigami-gun (=Yambaru) with the main breeding areas along the mountain ridges between Mt Nishime-take and Mt Iyu-take. It also occurs in coastal areas. It was considered close to extinction in the 1930s and, in the early 1990s, the breeding population was estimated to be c.75 birds and the total population between 146-584 birds. A density of 12.1 birds per km² has been estimated at the US Forces Northern Training Area in north-eastern Okinawa.

Important Bird Areas Click here to view map showing IBAs where species is recorded and triggers any of the IBA criteria.

Ecology: It occurs in subtropical, evergreen broadleaved forest at least 30 years old, with tall trees more than 20 cm in diameter, much of which is now confined to hill-tops. Foraging takes place in old-growth forest. Nesting is between late February-May, often in hollow Castanopsis cuspidata trees. There is an extraordinary difference in the foraging niches of males and females¹. Although both forage on dead and live trunks, males have also adapted to feed on the ground on soil-dwelling arthropods, as well as berries, seeds, acorns and other nuts¹.

Threats Its decline is primarily attributable to deforestation, which continues at a significant rate as a result of logging, dam construction and associated road-building, agricultural development and golf course construction. Construction of six new helipads near the village of Takae in the US Marine Corps Northern Training Area began in 2007 and represents a further potential threat to remaining areas of forest². The species's limited range and tiny population make it vulnerable to extinction from disease and natural disasters such as typhoons.

Conservation measures underway It is legally protected in Japan. It occurs in Yonaha-dake Prefecture Protection Area and small protected areas on Mt Ibu and Mt Nishime and conservation organisations have purchased sites where it occurs. In 1996, Yambaru was designated as a national park.

Conservation measures proposed Continue to monitor its population. Designate a special protected area to cover all the mature forest (40 years old or more) on the central ridge of northern Okinawa. Connect fragmented forests in the north with planted forest corridors and ensure all forests of more than 25 years old are protected and logging is prohibited. Provide nest-boxes in young secondary forest. Initiate a conservation education programme using Okinawa Rail Gallirallus okinawae and Okinawa Woodpecker as flagship species.

References BirdLife International (2001). 1. Kotaka et al. (2006). 2. WWF Japan (2007).

Further web sources of information

Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) species/site profile. This species has been identified as an AZE trigger due to its IUCN Red List status and limited range.

Fully detailed species accounts from the Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book (BirdLife International 2001), together with new information collated since the publication of the Red Data Book

Text account compilers Phil Benstead (BirdLife International), Simba Chan (Wild Bird Society of Japan), Mike Crosby (BirdLife International), Nic Peet (BirdLife International), Andy Symes (BirdLife International), Helen Temple (BirdLife International)

IUCN Red List evaluators Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Andy Symes (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Dendrocopos noguchii. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 10/2/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

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