Population Status, Distribution and Locating Nesting Sites of Great Slaty Woodpecker, Mulleripicus pulverulentus (Temminck, 1826) in Suklaphanta National Park, Nepal

Abstract

Great Slaty Woodpecker Mulleripicus pulverulentus (GSW) is the largest surviving woodpecker in Asia and it is distributed in Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) from central (Chitwan) to far-western Nepal (Kanchanpur) and this species has already upgraded as Endangered (En) and Vulnerable (Vu) in IUCN Red list nationally and globally respectively. The present study was carried in the year of 2017 in two different seasons (summer-May-June and winter-January) focused on the population estimation, distribution, and nesting sites of the GSW in Suklaphanta National Park (SNP) using Line Transect, and call playback methods. A total of 43 individuals were observed in winter season whereas 16 in summer season. The number of GSW’s detected in two different seasons was found to be varied by 45.76% where maximum numbers were detected in winter season (72.88%). Similarly, the mean percentage of male was comparatively higher (61.01%) than percentage of female (38.99%). The distribution of GSW was mainly observed in Sal forest (91.52%). Out of total 14 laid transects, the nest cavities of GSW was observed in 5 transect, recording a total of 21 nests which was further categorized as 4 active nests and 17 as passive nests. An ecological monitoring of this species over a longer time period is necessary in order to get robust information for the survival of the species.