IUCN Red List Criteria
| Near Threatened (criteria nearly met) |
A2bc+3bc+4bc |
IUCN Red List history
| Year |
Category |
| 2012 |
Near Threatened |
| 2008 |
Near Threatened |
| 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 |
continent
|
Average mass |
- |
Distribution
| |
Estimate |
Data quality |
| Extent of Occurrence breeding/resident (km2) |
5,460,000 |
medium |
| Number of locations |
|
- |
| Fragmentation |
|
- |
Population & trend
| |
Estimate |
Data quality |
Derivation |
Year of estimate |
| No. of mature individuals |
|
medium |
Estimated |
2004 |
| Population trend |
Decreasing |
medium |
|
- |
| Number of subpopulations |
|
- |
- |
- |
| Largest subpopulation |
|
- |
- |
- |
| Generation length (yrs) |
5.2 |
- |
- |
- |
|
Population justification: Rich et al. (2004). |
|
Trend justification: This species has undergone a large and statistically significant decrease over the last 40 years in North America (-65.5% decline over 40 years, equating to a -23.3% decline per decade; data from Breeding Bird Survey and/or Christmas Bird Count: Butcher and Niven 2007). |
Country/Territory distribution
| Country/Territory |
Occurrence status |
Extinct |
Breeding |
Non-breeding |
Passage |
| Canada |
Native |
No |
Yes |
|
Yes |
| Mexico |
Native |
No |
|
|
|
| St Pierre and Miquelon (to France) |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
Yes |
| USA |
Native |
No |
|
|
|
Important Bird Areas where this species has triggered the IBA criteria
| Country/Territory |
IBA Name |
IBA link |
| USA |
Allegan State Game Area and Kalamazoo River (Galesburg to Saugatuck) |
 |
| USA |
Cache River State Natural Area |
|
| USA |
CONFIDENTIAL |
|
| USA |
Fort Chaffee |
|
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 |
non-breeding |
| Artificial/Terrestrial |
Pastureland |
suitable |
breeding |
| Artificial/Terrestrial |
Rural Gardens |
suitable |
non-breeding |
| Artificial/Terrestrial |
Rural Gardens |
suitable |
breeding |
| Artificial/Terrestrial |
Urban Areas |
suitable |
breeding |
| Artificial/Terrestrial |
Urban Areas |
suitable |
non-breeding |
| Forest |
Subtropical/Tropical Dry |
major |
breeding |
| Forest |
Subtropical/Tropical Dry |
major |
non-breeding |
| Forest |
Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland |
suitable |
breeding |
| Forest |
Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland |
suitable |
non-breeding |
| Forest |
Temperate |
major |
breeding |
| Forest |
Temperate |
major |
non-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 |
breeding |
| Savanna |
Dry |
suitable |
non-breeding |
|
Altitude
|
0 - 0 m
|
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 Decline |
Medium Impact: |
| Stresses |
|---|
| Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion |
|
| Transportation & service corridors |
Roads & railroads |
Timing |
Scope |
Severity |
Impact |
| Ongoing |
Minority (<50%) |
Unknown |
Unknown |
| Stresses |
|---|
| Species mortality |
|
| Biological resource use |
Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources / Persecution/control |
Timing |
Scope |
Severity |
Impact |
| Past, Unlikely to Return |
Minority (<50%) |
Unknown |
Past Impact |
| Stresses |
|---|
| Species mortality |
|
| Human intrusions & disturbance |
Work & other activities |
Timing |
Scope |
Severity |
Impact |
| Ongoing |
Unknown |
Unknown |
Unknown |
| Stresses |
|---|
| Species disturbance |
|
| Natural system modifications |
Other ecosystem modifications |
Timing |
Scope |
Severity |
Impact |
| Ongoing |
Minority (<50%) |
Slow, Significant Decline |
Low Impact: 5 |
| Stresses |
|---|
| Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion |
|
| Pollution |
Agricultural & forestry effluents / Type Unknown/Unrecorded |
Timing |
Scope |
Severity |
Impact |
| Ongoing |
Minority (<50%) |
Unknown |
Unknown |
| Stresses |
|---|
| Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion |
|
Utilisation
| Purpose |
Primary form used |
Life stage used |
Source |
Scale |
Level |
Timing |
| Pets |
Whole |
Adults and juveniles |
Wild |
International |
Non-trivial |
Recent |
| Sport |
Whole |
Adults and juveniles |
Wild |
Subsistence, National |
Non-trivial |
Recent |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Melanerpes erythrocephalus. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 26/05/2013.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 26/05/2013.
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.
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
To contribute to discussions on the evaluation of the IUCN Red List status of Globally Threatened Birds, please visit BirdLife's Globally Threatened Bird Forums.
email a friend
printable version
close