Powerful Woodpecker
VU

Powerful Woodpecker

Campephilus pollens

Unknown

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

Overview

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

The Powerful Woodpecker faces severe pressure from widespread deforestation and habitat fragmentation across its Andean range, with primary forest conversion for agriculture and logging eliminating the large, mature trees essential for nesting and foraging. Climate change compounds these threats by shifting suitable habitat zones upslope, reducing available territory and forcing populations into increasingly isolated fragments. The species' dependence on extensive territories of intact montane forest makes it particularly vulnerable to landscape-level habitat loss.

Threat summary

Habitat

The Powerful Woodpecker inhabits humid montane forests and cloud forests along the Andes from Venezuela to Bolivia, typically at elevations between 1,000-2,400 meters. It requires extensive areas of mature forest with large trees for excavating nest cavities and foraging for wood-boring insects.

Other threatened species in Picidae

Guayaquil WoodpeckerVU

Guayaquil Woodpecker

Campephilus gayaquilensis

Unknown
White-fronted WoodpeckerVU

White-fronted Woodpecker

Melanerpes cactorum

Unknown
European Green WoodpeckerVU

European Green Woodpecker

Picus viridis

Unknown
Scarlet-backed WoodpeckerEN

Scarlet-backed Woodpecker

Veniliornis callonotus

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Powerful Woodpecker classified as Vulnerable?
Powerful Woodpecker is classified as Vulnerable because the population is declining and the species faces a high risk of extinction in the medium-term future if current pressures continue. The Powerful Woodpecker faces severe pressure from widespread deforestation and habitat fragmentation across its Andean range, with primary forest conversion for agriculture and logging eliminating the large, mature trees essential for nesting and foraging. Climate change compounds these threats by shifting suitable habitat zones upslope, reducing available territory and forcing populations into increasingly isolated fragments. The species' dependence on extensive territories of intact montane forest makes it particularly vulnerable to landscape-level habitat loss.
Where does Powerful Woodpecker live?
Powerful Woodpecker occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Powerful Woodpecker?
The main threats to Powerful Woodpecker are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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