Kaempfer's woodpecker

Last updated

Kaempfer's woodpecker
Celeus obrieni.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Piciformes
Family: Picidae
Genus: Celeus
Species:
C. obrieni
Binomial name
Celeus obrieni
Short, 1973
Celeus obrieni map.svg

Kaempfer's woodpecker (Celeus obrieni), also known as the Piauí woodpecker and previously as the caatinga woodpecker, is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is endemic to Brazil. [2]

Contents

Taxonomy and systematics

The type specimen of Kaempfer's woodpecker, a female, was collected in the Brazilian state of Piauí in 1926. It was lodged in the American Museum of Natural History but was not formally described until 1973, when Lester Short classified it as a subspecies of the rufous-headed woodpecker (Celeus spectabilis). Short recognized that the specimen's plumage differs from that of the other two C. spectabilis subspecies, that the habitat in which the specimen was collected differed from that favored by C. spectabilis, and that its occurrence was separated by about 3,000 km (1,900 mi) from that of C. spectabilis. He noted that the full range of the new subspecies was unknown and suggested that C. spectabilis had in the past had a much larger range. [3]

What is now Kaepfer's woodpecker retained its classification as a subspecies until the early 2000s when regional and worldwide taxonomic systems recognized it as a full species based on the plumage and habitat differences and the huge separation in ranges. It was then named the caatinga woodpecker. By 2006 it was realized that the English name was based on confusion about where the type specimen had been collected. At that time it gained its current English name. [4] [5]

The species' English name honors Emil Kaempfer, who collected the type specimen. [5] Its specific epithet honors Charles O'Brien, who first noted the specimen's uniqueness. [3]

Description

Kaempfer's woodpecker is 26.5 to 38 cm (10 to 15 in) long and weighs 85 to 105 g (3.0 to 3.7 oz). Both sexes have a rufous-red head with a bushy crest. Adult males have a bright red malar patch and some red behind the eye and onto the crest; females do not have any bright red. Both sexes' hindneck and upperparts are yellow to creamy buff with a few black bars on the mantle and scapulars. Their flight feathers are chestnut to reddish chestnut except the tertials, which are pale yellowish buff with a rufous tinge and a few dark bars. Their tail is black. Their throat and breast are black and the rest of their underparts pale yellowish buff, with usually a few black bars or spots just below the breast. Their bill is pale yellow or creamy, their iris black, and their legs grayish. Juveniles are overall duller, have a mostly chocolate-brown head, a reddish brown crest, and a light buffish mantle with no dark bars. [6]

Distribution and habitat

Between the 1926 collection and 2006, no other individuals of Kaempfer's woodpecker were seen and the bird was feared extinct. In October of 2006 a male was captured during mist netting in the state of Tocantins, about 350 km (220 mi) from the 1926 site. Since then at least 25 individuals have been documented and at least three overlooked specimens have been discovered. The sightings and specimens are scattered throughout an area of about 800,000 km2 (310,000 sq mi) in the northeastern Brazilian states of Maranhão, Piauí, Tocantins, Goiás, and Mato Grosso. [7] [6]

Little is known about the habitat preference of Kaempfer's woodpecker, but it appears to be associated with bamboo (specifically Guadua paniculata ) growing in Cerrado and babassu palm forest.

Behavior

Movement

Kaempfer's woodpecker is a year-round resident throughout its range. [6]

Feeding

The diet of Kempfer's woodpecker appears to be mostly ants, especially those like Camponotus depressus and Azteca fasciata which are found in bamboo. It has been noted foraging singly, in pairs, and in family groups. It captures its prey by drilling holes in dry bamboo to access ant nests inside. [6]

Breeding

Sightings of recently fledged juveniles suggest that the breeding season of Kaempfer's woodpecker begins in June or July, the start of the local dry season. Nothing else is known about its breeding biology. [6]

Vocal and non-vocal sounds

Kaempfer's woodpecker makes a "[l]oud, upslurred squeal followed by a softer bubbling chuckle, e.g. 'skweeah kah-kah-kah-kah-kah' or 'kreear klu-klu-klu-klu-klu'." It usually drums on bamboo stems; the rolls are "fast and evenly paced [and] separated by intervals of 16–20 seconds." [6]

Status

The IUCN originally assessed Kaempfer's woodpecker as Critically Endangered, then in 2011 as Endangered, but since 2018 as Vulnerable. It has a spotty occurrence in a limited range and its estimated population of 6000 mature individuals is believed to be decreasing. "The main threats to the species are probably from habitat loss and degradation through fires, infrastructure development, pasture expansion and conversion to soya plantations." It is estimated that only about 3% of its original habitat remains, and it is "highly fragmented, with patches of cerrado woodland mostly smaller than 5 ha (10 acres)." [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chestnut woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The chestnut woodpecker a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found on Trinidad and in every mainland South American country except Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cream-colored woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The cream-colored woodpecker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in every mainland South American country except Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The little woodpecker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in every mainland South American country except Chile, Suriname, and Uruguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Congo serpent eagle</span> Species of bird

The Congo serpent eagle is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Dryotriorchis, although it was formerly placed in Circaetus. This species is distributed across the African tropical rainforest, including upper and lower Guinean forests. This serpent eagle specializes in hunting in these forests’ dark understories. It has two subspecies, the nominate subspecies Dryotriorchis spectabilis spectabilis and Dryotriorchis spectabilis batesi. Though monotypic, it appears to be very closely related to Circaetus. This hawk is a medium-sized bird with distinctive short, rounded wings and a long, rounded tail. It is varying shades of brown on its back and has a slight crest. Its breast is white with variable amounts of a rufous wash and, in the nominate subspecies, is covered in round, blackish spots. The subspecies D. s. batesi only has these dots on its flanks. The Congo serpent eagle closely resembles Cassin's hawk-eagle, and some ornithologists believe that this likeness is a rare example of avian mimicry. It is a very vocal raptor, and often is one of the most heard species in its habitat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Least nighthawk</span> Species of bird

The least nighthawk is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-billed scythebill</span> Species of bird

The red-billed scythebill is a species of bird in the subfamily Dendrocolaptinae of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amazonian barred woodcreeper</span> Species of bird

The Amazonian barred woodcreeper is a sub-oscine passerine bird in subfamily Dendrocolaptinae of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Narrow-billed woodcreeper</span> Species of bird

The narrow-billed woodcreeper is a species of bird in the subfamily Dendrocolaptinae of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Suriname, and Uruguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chestnut-colored woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The chestnut-colored woodpecker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blond-crested woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The blond-crested woodpecker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scaly-breasted woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The scaly-breasted woodpecker, also known as the scale-breasted woodpecker, is a subspecies of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cinnamon woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The cinnamon woodpecker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Panama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pale-crested woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The pale-crested woodpecker a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rufous-headed woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The rufous-headed woodpecker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ringed woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The ringed woodpecker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in every mainland South American country except Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waved woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The waved woodpecker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helmeted woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The helmeted woodpecker is a Vulnerable species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rufous-breasted piculet</span> Species of woodpecker

The rufous-breasted piculet is a species of bird in subfamily Picumninae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

<i>Celeus</i> (bird) Genus of birds

Celeus is a genus of bird in the woodpecker family, Picidae, found in tropical and subtropical forests and woodlands of Central and South America. The genus contains 13 extant species. One, Kaempfer's woodpecker, was believed to be extinct until a specimen was caught in 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ochre-backed woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The ochre-backed woodpecker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is endemic to Brazil.

References

  1. 1 2 BirdLife International (2018). "Kaempfer's Woodpecker Celeus obrieni". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T22731646A131330745. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22731646A131330745.en . Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  2. Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P., eds. (January 2023). "Woodpeckers". IOC World Bird List. v 13.1. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  3. 1 2 Short, Lester (1973). "A new race of Celeus spectabilis from eastern Brazil". The Wilson Bulletin. 85 (4): 465–467. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  4. Zimmer, Kevin J. (August 2003). "Proposal (59) to South American Classification Committee: Split Celeus obrieni from C. spectabilis". South American Classification Committee. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  5. 1 2 Pacheco, José Fernando; Minns, Jeremy; Silveira, Luis Fábio; Olmos, Fabio (December 2006). "Proposal (249) to South American Classification Committee: Change the English name of Celeus obrieni to Kaempfer's Woodpecker". South American Classification Committee. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 del Hoyo, J., N. Collar, C. J. Sharpe, and D. A. Christie (2020). Kaempfer's Woodpecker (Celeus obrieni), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.caawoo1.01 retrieved February 5, 2023
  7. "Kaempfer's Woodpecker Celeus obrieni". BirdLife International. 2023. Retrieved February 5, 2023.