Species

Justification
This species has a moderately small population which is declining owing to habitat loss. It is consequently classified as Near Threatened.

Taxonomic source(s)
SACC. 2006. A classification of the bird species of South America. Available at: http://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.html.
Sibley, C. G.; Monroe, B. L. 1990. Distribution and taxonomy of birds of the world. Yale University Press, New Haven, USA.
Stotz, D. F.; Fitzpatrick, J. W.; Parker, T. A.; Moskovits, D. K. 1996. Neotropical birds: ecology and conservation. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

Distribution and population
Dryocopus schulzi is restricted to the xeric woodland and savannas of the central and southern Chaco and the woodlands of the foothill Chaco in south Bolivia (Tarija), west Paraguay (Nueva Asunción, Boquerón, Presidente Hayes) and north-central Argentina (Formosa, Chaco, Santiago del Estero, Córdoba, San Luis and Corrientes), and transitional subtropical forest up to 1,500 m in the low Andean foothills of south-central Bolivia (Santa Cruz) and north-west Argentina (Salta, Tucumán) (Canevari et al. 1991, Madroño and Pearman 1992, Chebez 1995, Winkler et al. 1995). It appears to have always been rare, or perhaps under-recorded, but has declined over much of its former range in Argentina. It survives mainly in two isolated population centres in Córdoba and adjacent San Luis, and the central Paraguayan Chaco (Madroño and Pearman 1992, García Fernández et al. 1997, H. Casañas in litt. 1998).


Population justification
The population is preliminarily estimated to number at least 10,000 individuals, roughly equating to 6,700 mature individuals. This requires confirmation.

Trend justification
The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction.

Ecology
Its habitat preferences are not clear, but it has been found breeding in mature horcoquebracho Schinopsis hankeana and Lithraea ternifolia woodland (Heredia et al. 1999), and has been found in timber plantations.

Threats
Habitat loss is principally the result of logging of quebracho (Aspidosperma spp., Schinopsis quebrachocolorado) and algarrobo (Prosopis spp.) for charcoal, tannins and railway sleepers, land clearance for agriculture and cattle-ranching, and plantations of non-native tree genera (Madroño and Pearman 1992, Winkler et al. 1995, H. Casañas in litt. 1998).

Conservation actions underway
In Argentina it has been recorded in Formosa Natural Reserve, Río Pilcomayo National Park (Formosa), Chaco National Park (Chaco), and Chancaní and Cerro Colorado Provincial Reserves (Córdoba).

Conservation actions proposed
Effectively protect and manage protected areas where the species occurs. Study its ecology and its ability to persist in small isolated populations in degraded and fragmented habitats.

References
Canevari, M. 1991. Nueva guia de las aves Argentinas. Fundación Acindar, Buenos Aires.

Madroño Nieto, A.; Pearman, M. 1992. Distribution, status and taxonomy of the near-threatened Black-bodied Woodpecker Dryocopus schulzi. Bird Conservation International 2: 253-272.

Chebez, J. C. 1995. Nuevos datos sobre Dryocopus galeatus (Piciformes: Picidae) en la Argentina. Hornero 14: 54-57.

Winkler, H.; Christie, D. A.; Nurney, D. 1995. Woodpeckers: a guide to the woodpeckers, piculets and wrynecks of the world. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, U.K.

García Fernández, J. J.; Ojeda, R. A.; Fraga, R. M.; Díaz, G. B.; Baigún, R. J. 1997. Libro Rojo de mamíferos y aves amenazados de la Argentina. Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Heredia, J.; Klavins, J.; Nieto, P. 1999. Primera descripción de la nidificación del carpintero Negro Dryocopus schulzi. Nuestras Aves 40: 3.

Further web sources of information
Hear sounds for this species from xeno-canto, the community database of shared bird sounds from around the world.

View photos and videos, and hear sounds of this species from the Internet Bird Collection

Text account compilers
Benstead, P., Capper, D., Mansur, E., Sharpe, C J, Symes, A.

Contributors
Casañas, H.

IUCN Red List evaluators
Butchart, S., Symes, A.

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Dryocopus schulzi. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013. Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013.

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.