Celeus obrieni

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	PICIFORMES	PICIDAE

Scientific Name:

Celeus obrieni

Species Authority:

Short, 1973

Common Name/s:

English

–

Caatinga Woodpecker, Kaempfer's Woodpecker, Piaui Woodpecker

Taxonomic Notes:

Celeus spectabilis (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into C. spectabilis and C. obrieni following SACC (2005).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Endangered C2a(ii) ver 3.1

Year Published:

2012

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Butchart, S. & Symes, A.

Contributor/s:

Alejandro, S., Develey, P., Dornas, T., Hennessey, A., Ingels, J., Kirwan, G., Olmos, F. & Pinheiro, R.

Justification:
This species was recently rediscovered after 80 years without a record, and has now been recorded at several sites across a large range. The species is listed as Endangered because it is thought to have a very small population which is suspected to be in decline owing to on-going habitat loss and degradation. Further study is urgently required for the conservation of this species, which is suffering rapid habitat loss.

History:

2011	–	Endangered
2010	–	Critically Endangered
2009	–	Critically Endangered
2008	–	Critically Endangered
2007	–	Critically Endangered
2006	–	Not Evaluated
2004	–	Not Recognized
2000	–	Not Recognized
1994	–	Not Recognized
1988	–	Not Recognized

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Celeus obrieni was rediscovered in October 2006 after a gap of 80 years since the type specimen was collected in 1926. It was refound during surveys near Goatins in Tocantins state (Prado 2006), central Brazil, c.350 km from the type locality at Uruçui (F. Olmos in litt. 2006) in the state of Piauí. Repeat visits to the site of its rediscovery have identified eight individuals with a further four at a second site (P. Develey in litt. 2007), and a record has emerged from 2004 on the right bank of the Rio Tocantins, São Pedro da Água Branca municipality, Maranhão (Santos and de Vasconcelos 2007). By 2007, at least 23 different individuals had been observed between São Pedro da Água Branca, Maranhão State in the north, the municipality of Dianópolis in Tocantins State in the south, Serra da Raposa in Maranhão State in the east, and the municipalities of Miracema do Tocantins, Pium and Miranorte in Tocantins State in the west (P. Develey in litt. 2007, Advaldo Dias do Prado in litt. 2007, Pinheiro and Dornas 2008). In 2009, it was recorded at two further sites in Maranhão, 200 km to the north (Santos et al. 2010) and also at Rio Barreiro (General Carneiro), Mato Grosso (Dornas et al. 2011, xeno-canto.org). In July 2010, it was recorded on the east bank of the Rio Araguaia near Registro do Araguaia, Goiás, and was also reported from Lagoa da Confusão, Tocantins (G. M. Kirwan in litt. 2010). Three individuals have been identified in collections from the state of Goiás: two dating from 1967 and one from 1988 (Hidasi et al. 2008, Dornas et al. 2009). Subsequently, a pair was found in gallery forest on the left bank of the rio do Ouro, Porangatu municipality, in the north-west of the state in 2009 (Pacheco and Maciel 2009). A number of searches have failed to locate the species in the area where the type specimen was collected. Given that it went unrecorded for many years it was assumed to have a tiny population in an extremely small range. However, recent records have increased the Extent of Occurrence of this species to c.806,000 km², although it occurs discontinuously throughout this area (Advaldo Dias do Prado in litt. 2007). The population estimate has been revised upwards as a consequence.
Countries:	Native: Brazil
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	A number of recent records have extended the known range of this species and provoked an increase in the population estimate from the precautionary range of 50-249 mature individuals. The new estimate of 250-2,499 mature individuals may still be conservative, given the species's range, and further study is needed. It equates to roughly 350-4,000 individuals in total.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	The type specimen and a recently mist-netted bird were from cerrado woodland with open gallery forest and babaçu palm (Attalea speciosa) forest. Within this habitat it shows strong association with the bamboo Gadua paniculata (P. Develey in litt. 2007, Pinheiro and Dornas 2008). The species appears to specialise in feeding on ants found on bamboo canes (B. Hennessey in litt. 2010, R. T. Pinheiro in litt. 2010). All recent records relate to sightings of single individuals or pairs/family groups. Other aspects of the species's habits are unknown and it seems to occupy markedly different habitat to its sister species, Rufous-headed Woodpecker Celeus spectabilis.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

The type specimen and a recently mist-netted bird were from cerrado woodland with open gallery forest and babaçu palm (Attalea speciosa) forest. Within this habitat it shows strong association with the bamboo Gadua paniculata (P. Develey in litt. 2007, Pinheiro and Dornas 2008). The species appears to specialise in feeding on ants found on bamboo canes (B. Hennessey in litt. 2010, R. T. Pinheiro in litt. 2010). All recent records relate to sightings of single individuals or pairs/family groups. Other aspects of the species's habits are unknown and it seems to occupy markedly different habitat to its sister species, Rufous-headed Woodpecker Celeus spectabilis.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The main threats to the species are probably from habitat loss and degradation through fires, infrastructure development and conversion to soya crop (F. Olmos in litt. 2006). In Tocantins, it has been reported that a major expansion in Eucalyptus cultivation will take place to meet demand for paper manufacturing, with more than 1 million hectares of cerrado expected to be converted to plantations (T. Dornas in litt. 2011). In addition to Eucalyptus and soybean, sugarcane is also a major crop in Tocantins (T. Dornas in litt. 2011). The species was recently rediscovered during surveys prior to the building of a new section of the Belém-Brasília highway (BR-010). The new road will facilitate access to the area and the expansion of soybean cultivation will probably follow. Preferred habitat (cerrados with bamboo patches), is frequently burned for cattle ranching; whether this practice destroys habitat or helps to maintain it remains poorly understood; however, in the short-term the extensive habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation that results is expected to have a negative effect on the species (B. Hennessey in litt. 2010). Only around 3% of this species's original habitat may remain (B. Hennessey in litt. 2010). A potential new threat is posed by the construction of dams for hydroelecticity (T. Dornas in litt. 2012).

Major Threat(s):

The main threats to the species are probably from habitat loss and degradation through fires, infrastructure development and conversion to soya crop (F. Olmos in litt. 2006). In Tocantins, it has been reported that a major expansion in Eucalyptus cultivation will take place to meet demand for paper manufacturing, with more than 1 million hectares of cerrado expected to be converted to plantations (T. Dornas in litt. 2011). In addition to Eucalyptus and soybean, sugarcane is also a major crop in Tocantins (T. Dornas in litt. 2011). The species was recently rediscovered during surveys prior to the building of a new section of the Belém-Brasília highway (BR-010). The new road will facilitate access to the area and the expansion of soybean cultivation will probably follow. Preferred habitat (cerrados with bamboo patches), is frequently burned for cattle ranching; whether this practice destroys habitat or helps to maintain it remains poorly understood; however, in the short-term the extensive habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation that results is expected to have a negative effect on the species (B. Hennessey in litt. 2010). Only around 3% of this species's original habitat may remain (B. Hennessey in litt. 2010). A potential new threat is posed by the construction of dams for hydroelecticity (T. Dornas in litt. 2012).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway The company responsible for the construction of the BR-010 are supporting a monitoring study (P. Develey in litt. 2007). Research continues to elucidate some aspects of the species's biology. Future research will measure the home range of the species and try to estimate the total population considering the range and suitable habitats (P. Develey in litt. 2007). In 2010, there were plans to radio-tag some individuals (R. T. Pinheiro in litt. 2010). Conservation Actions Proposed Conduct further surveys to ascertain the species's range, numbers, population trends and the threats it faces. In particular, survey existing Protected Areas within the species's range (Jalapão National Park, Jalapão State Park, Lageado State Park and Indigenous Reserve Craos) to confirm its presence.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
The company responsible for the construction of the BR-010 are supporting a monitoring study (P. Develey in litt. 2007). Research continues to elucidate some aspects of the species's biology. Future research will measure the home range of the species and try to estimate the total population considering the range and suitable habitats (P. Develey in litt. 2007). In 2010, there were plans to radio-tag some individuals (R. T. Pinheiro in litt. 2010).

Conservation Actions Proposed
Conduct further surveys to ascertain the species's range, numbers, population trends and the threats it faces. In particular, survey existing Protected Areas within the species's range (Jalapão National Park, Jalapão State Park, Lageado State Park and Indigenous Reserve Craos) to confirm its presence.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2012. Celeus obrieni. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 26 May 2013.
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