Okinawa Woodpecker Dendrocopos noguchii Scientific name definitions

31–35 cm. Male has forehead to nape  red with blackish feather bases visible, pale buffish-brown nasal tufts, lores and line above eye, darker and browner ear-coverts and neck side with deep brown streaking, suggestion of darker stripe in malar region; chin to upper breast paler grey-brown, hint of whitish coloration; hindneck and upperparts rich dark brown, dull red feather tips, these most obvious on rump and uppertail-coverts; upperwing very dark brown, flight-feathers edged reddish, small white bar-like spots  on outer primaries  and on inner webs of inner primaries and secondaries; uppertail blackish-brown; dark brown below, feathers tipped dull red, more extensively reddish (larger tips) on belly and flanks, almost entirely deep red on undertail-coverts; underwing brown, flight-feathers barred whitish; undertail brown, paler sides; long bill strongly chisel-tipped, slightly curved on culmen, broad across nostrils, pale yellow, greener base; iris deep red-brown or brown; legs dark slaty. Female is slightly shorter-winged, shorter-billed, has forehead to nape blackish-brown, sometimes some paler feather bases showing. Juvenile duller and greyer than adult, red tips absent or much reduced, male with less red on head top.

Okinawa, in S Ryukyu Is.

Occupies undisturbed, mature subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest in C mountain range of Yambaru; occasionally seen in secondary forest outside main range. On hilltops with large trees, down to forest edge along clearings or roads. Areas with soft, decaying wood preferred; conifers appear to be avoided.

Resident.

Large arthropods, beetle larvae  (e.g. Cerambycidae), moths, spiders, centipedes; observed feeding gecko to nestlings. Fruits, berries and seeds (Rhus, Rubus), acorns and other nuts (Pasania, Machilus) also important in diet. Forages chiefly near the ground, mostly below 5 m, where it searches tree trunks, bamboo and fallen logs; also in canopy, especially when feeding on fruits; only males feed on ground, taking soil-dwelling arthropods. Prefers very soft and rotten wood. Pecking and hammering very important techniques; makes deep excavations, c. 4 cm in length, on larger trunks, branches and stumps; smaller fallen branches hacked to pieces. Some of the forceful foraging methods resemble digging rather than excavating; creates smaller holes in harder live wood and bamboo. Also, frequently forages with probing, and sweeping aside litter.

Long irregular series of clear whistled notes, “kwe kwe kwe” or “pwip pwip”, rather similar to calls of Picus viridis or P. awokera; also common are several “kup” notes, “kyu-kyu”, or “kyu-kyu-kup” calls; single “whit” notes when disturbed; nestlings have two distinct types of note, “kyaa” and “pip”. Drumrolls  vary greatly in length, from c. 0·5 seconds to more than one second, accelerating, rhythm slightly slower than those of Picus canus, c. 3 rolls per minute.

Laying from late Feb to May, typically in Mar–Apr; nestlings present up to Jun. Nest-hole  excavated in large old tree  at least 20 cm in diameter, often a hollow Castanopsis cuspidata, at 3–9 m, frequently on underside of a large sloping branch; entrance hole ovate; nests often reused. Clutch size not recorded; 1–3 chicks  raised per brood.

CRITICALLY ENDANGERED. Restricted-range species: present in Nansei Shoto EBA. Extremely small breeding population estimated at a maximum of 70–80 individuals in early 1990s, and total numbers, including non-breeders, currently thought not to exceed 390 mature individuals, and possibly fewer than 100 BirdLife International (2015) Species factsheet: Dendrocopos noguchii. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 04/05/2015. . As long ago as 1930s was thought to be close to extinction. Breeding now restricted to subtropical evergreen forest along ridges in C mountain chain of Yamburu, mainly between the peaks of Nishime-take and Iyu-take. Formerly more widespread, but has lost much of its habitat during the past century. Decline attributed primarily to deforestation; requires forest 30 years or more of age, with tall trees at least 20 cm in diameter, all of which has long since been destroyed on the lower slopes. Logging operations have also penetrated upper parts of Yamburu. With constant and increasing pressure on existing habitat, associated with dam-construction, agricultural development and building of golf courses, as well as associated road-building, old forest continues to be destroyed. In addition, with its tiny range and extremely small population, this species is vulnerable to disease, and to natural disasters such as typhoons. Its habit of foraging on the ground may also be vulnerable to introduced preadtors such as mongoose and feral cats BirdLife International (2015) Species factsheet: Dendrocopos noguchii. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 04/05/2015. . Occurs in small protected areas on each of the mountains at extremes of range, as well as in protected area of Mt Yonaha; in NE Okinawa, estimated density of 12·1 birds/km² in the US Forces Northern Training Area offers some hope for its future survival. Although this picid is legally protected in Japan, further action is still needed. There have been plans to designate Yambaru as a national park. Conservationists have already purchased some sites known to be inhabited by the species; special protected areas need to be established to include all mature forest with an age of 40 years or more, logging in forest over 25 years of age should be prohibited. Further measures proposed include planting of forest “corridors” to connect forest fragments, and provision of nestboxes in secondary forest. A conservation programme, using this woodpecker and the Endangered Okinawa Rail (Hypotaenidia okinawae) as examples, has been suggested as a means of informing public opinion.