|Scientific Name:||Picus sharpei (Saunders, 1872)|
|Taxonomic Source(s):||del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.|
|Taxonomic Notes:||Picus viridis has been split into P. viridis and P. sharpei by the BirdLife Taxonomic Working Group following studies by Perktas (2011) and Olioso and Pons (2011), based on analysis of morphological differences between viridis, sharpei and vaillantii, and the narrow intergradation zone between viridis and sharpei. This analysis also confirms the validity of P. vaillantii as a species. P. (viridis) innominatus is also given specific status by Perktas (2011), however this treatment is not accepted by the BTWG as claimed differences seem small.|
|Red List Category & Criteria:||Near Threatened (Regional assessment) ver 3.1|
|Facilitator/Compiler(s):||Ashpole, J, Burfield, I., Ieronymidou, C., Pople, R., Wheatley, H. & Wright, L|
European regional assessment: Near Threatened (NT)
EU27 regional assessment: Near Threatened (NT)
This woodpecker is undergoing moderately rapid population declines in Spain, which holds the vast majority of the population of this EU27 endemic. It is therefore classified as Near Threatened in both Europe and the EU27.
|Range Description:||The species is resident in the Iberian Peninsula, Pyrenees and in the extreme south of France, where it is found irregularly from Pyrénées-Atlantiques to Hérault (del Hoyo et al. 2015).|
Native:Andorra; France; Portugal; Spain
|Population:||The European population is estimated at 246,000-471,000 pairs, which equates to 492,000-941,000 mature individuals. The entire population is found in the EU27. For details of national estimates, see the Supplementary Material.|
Trend Justification: In Europe and the EU27 the population size is estimated to be decreasing at a rate approaching 30% in 16.8 years (three generations). For details of national estimates, see attached PDF.
|Current Population Trend:||Decreasing|
|Habitat and Ecology:||This species is found in relatively dry open woodland, both deciduous and mixed, as well as plantations, orchards, farmland and pastures, parks and garden and locally in grassy dunes. It requires some mature trees and clearings with adjacent grassland and is found in the lowlands and hills to mountains up to ca 3,000 m. It lays from the end of March to June. Both parents incubate the clutch which is usually five to eight eggs. The nest is excavated at up to 10 m in a tree (del Hoyo et al. 2015). It feeds on ground-dwelling ants. Other insects are taken on the ground or in trees and occasionally fruit is taken too (Gorman 2014). The species is resident with some local movements outside the breeding season (del Hoyo et al. 2015).|
|Continuing decline in area, extent and/or quality of habitat:||Unknown|
|Generation Length (years):||5.6|
|Movement patterns:||Not a Migrant|
|Major Threat(s):||No serious threats have been identified for this species. Habitat loss not yet a great problem, but it is believed that in future years it could become so (del Hoyo et al. 2015). It is thought the intensification of agriculture and forestry, as well as the conversion of pasture to arable land can affect populations of this species by reducing the population of ants. The clearing of wooded hedgerows, copses, isolated and river groves can limit potential nesting sites. Wildfires may have caused a decrease in the populations in Mediterranean regions. Other threats include localized illegal hunting and very cold winters (Martí and del Moral 2004).|
Conservation Actions Underway
Bern Convention Appendix II. There are no known current conservation measures for this species.
Conservation Actions Proposed
Habitat management for this species should include the conservation of old trees for nesting in woodlands, orchards and villages and the maintenance and restoration of feeding grounds such as small meadows, pastures, orchards and heaths (Tucker and Heath 1994). Monitoring and research are needed to inform future conservation measures.
|Citation:||BirdLife International. 2015. Picus sharpei. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T22725015A66591820.Downloaded on 21 June 2018.|
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