Imperial Woodpecker
CR

Imperial Woodpecker

Campephilus imperialis

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_woodpecker

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

The Imperial Woodpecker faces extinction primarily due to extensive logging of old-growth pine-oak forests throughout the Sierra Madre Occidental. Hunting pressure for specimens and traditional uses has further reduced the already fragmented population. Habitat conversion to agriculture and cattle ranching has eliminated critical nesting sites, while the species' dependence on large territories makes small forest remnants unsuitable for breeding pairs.

Threat summary

Habitat

The Imperial Woodpecker inhabits mature pine-oak forests in the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains of Mexico, particularly favoring areas with large Pinus and Quercus trees at elevations between 1,200-3,000 meters. The species requires extensive territories with abundant dead and dying trees for foraging on wood-boring beetle larvae.

Forest· major

Conservation measures underway

Legislation

Other threatened species in PICIDAE

VU

Sulu Pygmy Woodpecker

Picoides ramsayi

Declining
VU

Kaempfer's Woodpecker

Celeus obrieni

Declining
EN

Yellow-faced Flameback

Chrysocolaptes xanthocephalus

Declining
VU

Helmeted Woodpecker

Celeus galeatus

Declining

Threatened in Mexico

EN

Turbinicarpus horripilus

Declining
CR

Turbinicarpus mandragora

Declining
EN

Opuntia pachyrrhiza

Declining
EN

Arachnothryx tacanensis

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Imperial Woodpecker classified as Critically Endangered?
Imperial Woodpecker is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The Imperial Woodpecker faces extinction primarily due to extensive logging of old-growth pine-oak forests throughout the Sierra Madre Occidental. Hunting pressure for specimens and traditional uses has further reduced the already fragmented population. Habitat conversion to agriculture and cattle ranching has eliminated critical nesting sites, while the species' dependence on large territories makes small forest remnants unsuitable for breeding pairs.
Where does Imperial Woodpecker live?
Imperial Woodpecker occurs in Mexico, and United States. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Imperial Woodpecker?
The main threats to Imperial Woodpecker are 5.1, 5.3, ai-1, and ai-2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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