Head to head
Great Slaty Woodpecker vs Ivory-billed Woodpecker
The great slaty woodpecker and ivory-billed woodpecker both rank among the largest woodpeckers alive or possibly alive, though their fortunes could hardly differ more.
| Great Slaty Woodpecker | Ivory-billed Woodpecker | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Mulleripicus pulverulentus | Campephilus principalis |
| Native range | South and Southeast Asia | Southeastern US, Cuba |
| Wild status | Still present in the wild | Not confirmed since the 1940s |
| Social behaviour | Unusually social, family groups | Solitary or paired |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable | Critically Endangered, possibly extinct |
| Population trend | Decreasing | Decreasing |
| Body colour | Uniform slate-grey | Black and white, red crest |
| Habitat | Forest | Old-growth swamp forest |
Great Slaty Woodpecker vs Ivory-billed Woodpecker: common questions
Is the great slaty woodpecker as endangered as the ivory-billed woodpecker?
Not quite, since the great slaty woodpecker is classified as Vulnerable and remains present in the wild, while the ivory-billed woodpecker is Critically Endangered and considered possibly extinct, with no confirmed sighting since the 1940s.
Which species is more social, the great slaty woodpecker or the ivory-billed woodpecker?
The great slaty woodpecker is unusually social for a woodpecker, typically found in small family groups, while the ivory-billed woodpecker lived a more solitary or paired existence typical of most large woodpeckers.
What do the great slaty woodpecker and ivory-billed woodpecker have in common?
Both are giants among woodpeckers that depend on large, mature trees within intact forest, and both have suffered population declines linked to deforestation across their very different ranges in Asia and the Americas.