White-winged Woodpecker
Status: VII, Least Concern, LC. [47]. Monotypic species [47].
Distribution overall and in the country. Central and western parts of Inner Asia. From the western Uzboy, southern and eastern shores of the Aral Sea eastward to the Bogdoshany Ridge and Lake Lobnor. To the north to the mouth of the Syr Darya, lower reaches of the Chu, southern shore of Balkhash, Borokhoro Ridge. To the south to the foothills of the Kopetdag, northern foothills of the Paropamiz, northern foothills of the Hindu Kush, northern foothills of the Altyntag Ridge [7, 43]. In Kyrgyzstan, it is rarely found in the floodplain forests of the Naryn and At-Bashi rivers, more numerous in walnut-fruit forests in the south of Kyrgyzstan, recorded in the Alai and Fergana ridges [2, 16], in Bishkek.
Habitat. Inhabits deciduous forests. Ascends high into the mountains up to 2800 m above sea level.
Population. No systematic data available. Common in walnut-fruit forests and orchards of the Fergana Ridge and valley (1-3 individuals/km²) [48].
Life style (life cycles). A sedentary species. Information on nesting biology is fragmentary. Nests are made in the hollows of deciduous trees, pairing occurs, apparently, in mid-April. The egg-laying period is unknown. Young birds, indistinguishable from adults, are found in the forest in mid-July. Feeds mainly on insects, especially forest pests, occasionally on nuts and fruits of wild stone fruits [2].
Limiting factors. Uncontrolled poaching logging of old trees with suitable nesting hollows.
Breeding (keeping in captivity). No information available.
Existing conservation measures. No special conservation measures have been undertaken.
Recommended conservation measures. To limit uncontrolled logging of old trees, even for sanitary purposes, to create mini reserves in parts of the forest that are in the climax stage. Biotechnical measures should be carried out only in coordination with ornithologists.
White-winged Woodpecker
Dendrocopos leucopterus (Salvadori, 1870)
Status: VII, Least Concern, LC. Monotypic species [47]. Resident bird in walnut forests in the south of Kyrgyzstan, rarer - in floodplain forests of Naryn and At-Bahsi Rivers. Prefers deciduous forests, can occur up to 2,800 m above sea level. No systematic data on numbers. Density of White-winged Woodpecker in walnut forests and orchards is 1-3 individuals per km². Nesting biology is unknown. Juveniles are recorded in mid-July. Feeds on insects, rarer on nuts and fruits. Major limiting factor is illegal felling of mature trees with suitable hollows in trunks. No evidence of captivity holding. So far, no special protection measures were undertaken. It is suggested to cease illegal felling of mature trees; even sanitary tree felling needs to be coordinated with ornithologists. It is necessary to establish mini protected areas in climax parts of the forests. [93].
