7 thoughts on “Yellow-browed Woodpecker (Piculus aurulentus)”
Based on radiotracking and counts in Misiones, Argentina, as well as on eBird maps for Paraguay en Brazil, there is no reason to suspect a >20% decline in 3 generations, and the global population is likely >50.000 mature individuals.
I support the proposal to downgrade the Yellow-browed Woodpecker (Piculus aurulentus) from Near Threatened (NT) to Least Concern (LC). There is no evidence of a population decline exceeding 20% over the past 10 years. Although the species is associated with forested habitats, it tolerates small patches and older secondary forests, provided that the surrounding matrix remains largely forested. While deforestation continues in the Atlantic Forest, the current rate is relatively low and unlikely to significantly impact a species with such a broad range, as inferred from the MapBiomas website. Recent records from Uruguay suggest a possible southward expansion. The species’ Extent of Occurrence (EOO) appears to be overestimated in this assessment, based on distribution maps from eBird and WikiAves, but the discrepancy is minor and does not alter the assessment outcome.
References:
eBird. (2025). eBird. Retrieved 2025, from https://ebird.org
Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to this discussion. We greatly appreciate the time and effort invested in commenting. The window for consultation is now closed and we are unable to accept any more comments until 25 April 2025. We will now analyse and interpret the information, and we will post a preliminary decision on this species’ Red List category on this page on 25 April 2025, when discussions will re-open.
We thank contributors for the information shared in the above comments. This will be incorporated into the updated species factsheet. Based on available information, our preliminary proposal for the 2025 Red List would be to adopt the proposed classification outlined in the initial forum discussion.
There is now a period for further comments until the final deadline on 4 May 2025, after which the recommended categorisations will be put forward to IUCN.
The final 2025 Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites in October 2025, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.
In Paraguay the species is local and rather rare in the remaining Atlantic Forest, though the limited data available suggest that may always have been the case (at least in recent decades). The species was considered Endangered (A2c, A3c) in the most recent national Red List assessment (2017) due to ongoing loss and degradation of Atlantic Forest in the country. Despite a zero deforestation law in Eastern Paraguay, deforestation and degradation continue, especially degradation, with the few remaining patches of Atlantic Forest particularly affected by “shifting clearance” for illegal plantations accompanied by fires.
Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to this discussion. We greatly appreciate the time and effort invested in commenting. The window for consultation is now closed and we are unable to accept any more comments. We will analyse and interpret the information, and a final decision on this species’ Red List category will be posted on this page on 12 May 2025.
Recommended categorisation to be put forward to IUCN
The final categorisation for this species has not changed. Yellow-browed Woodpecker is recommended to be listed as Least Concern.
Many thanks for everyone who contributed to the 2025.2 GTB Forum process. The final Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites in October 2025, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.
Based on radiotracking and counts in Misiones, Argentina, as well as on eBird maps for Paraguay en Brazil, there is no reason to suspect a >20% decline in 3 generations, and the global population is likely >50.000 mature individuals.
I support the proposal to downgrade the Yellow-browed Woodpecker (Piculus aurulentus) from Near Threatened (NT) to Least Concern (LC). There is no evidence of a population decline exceeding 20% over the past 10 years. Although the species is associated with forested habitats, it tolerates small patches and older secondary forests, provided that the surrounding matrix remains largely forested. While deforestation continues in the Atlantic Forest, the current rate is relatively low and unlikely to significantly impact a species with such a broad range, as inferred from the MapBiomas website. Recent records from Uruguay suggest a possible southward expansion. The species’ Extent of Occurrence (EOO) appears to be overestimated in this assessment, based on distribution maps from eBird and WikiAves, but the discrepancy is minor and does not alter the assessment outcome.
References:
eBird. (2025). eBird. Retrieved 2025, from https://ebird.org
MapBiomas. (2025). Plataforma de Monitoramento da Cobertura e Uso da Terra do Bioma Mata Atlântica [Versão 2025]. São Paulo: MapBiomas. Retrieved April 9, 2025, from https://plataforma.bosqueatlantico.mapbiomas.org/cobertura?activeBaseMap=9&layersOpacity=100&activeModule=coverage&activeModuleContent=coverage%3Acoverage_main&activeYear=2022&mapPosition=-18.979026%2C-46.450195%2C4&timelineLimitsRange=1985%2C2022
WikiAves. (2025). WikiAves. Retrieved 2025, from https://www.wikiaves.com
Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to this discussion. We greatly appreciate the time and effort invested in commenting. The window for consultation is now closed and we are unable to accept any more comments until 25 April 2025. We will now analyse and interpret the information, and we will post a preliminary decision on this species’ Red List category on this page on 25 April 2025, when discussions will re-open.
Preliminary proposal
We thank contributors for the information shared in the above comments. This will be incorporated into the updated species factsheet. Based on available information, our preliminary proposal for the 2025 Red List would be to adopt the proposed classification outlined in the initial forum discussion.
There is now a period for further comments until the final deadline on 4 May 2025, after which the recommended categorisations will be put forward to IUCN.
The final 2025 Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites in October 2025, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.
In Paraguay the species is local and rather rare in the remaining Atlantic Forest, though the limited data available suggest that may always have been the case (at least in recent decades). The species was considered Endangered (A2c, A3c) in the most recent national Red List assessment (2017) due to ongoing loss and degradation of Atlantic Forest in the country. Despite a zero deforestation law in Eastern Paraguay, deforestation and degradation continue, especially degradation, with the few remaining patches of Atlantic Forest particularly affected by “shifting clearance” for illegal plantations accompanied by fires.
Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to this discussion. We greatly appreciate the time and effort invested in commenting. The window for consultation is now closed and we are unable to accept any more comments. We will analyse and interpret the information, and a final decision on this species’ Red List category will be posted on this page on 12 May 2025.
Recommended categorisation to be put forward to IUCN
The final categorisation for this species has not changed. Yellow-browed Woodpecker is recommended to be listed as Least Concern.
Many thanks for everyone who contributed to the 2025.2 GTB Forum process. The final Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites in October 2025, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.