Head to head
Great Slaty Woodpecker vs Magellanic Woodpecker
The great slaty woodpecker and Magellanic woodpecker both rank among the largest living woodpeckers, though they occupy entirely different continents and social structures.
| Great Slaty Woodpecker | Magellanic Woodpecker | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Mulleripicus pulverulentus | Campephilus magellanicus |
| Native range | South and Southeast Asia | Southern Chile and Argentina |
| Social behaviour | Unusually social, family groups | Typically solitary or paired |
| Body colour | Uniform slate-grey | Black, red-crested (male) |
| Genus status | Not the last of its genus | Last surviving giant of its genus |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable | Near Threatened |
| Population trend | Decreasing | Decreasing |
| Habitat | Forest | Forest |
Great Slaty Woodpecker vs Magellanic Woodpecker: common questions
Which is more social, the great slaty woodpecker or the Magellanic woodpecker?
The great slaty woodpecker is far more social, typically moving through the forest in small, noisy family groups, while the Magellanic woodpecker lives a more typically solitary or paired lifestyle common among large woodpeckers.
Is the great slaty woodpecker also the last of its genus, like the Magellanic woodpecker?
No, the great slaty woodpecker is not the last surviving member of its genus, unlike the Magellanic woodpecker, which is the sole remaining giant following the extinction or likely extinction of its closest relatives.
Why are both species considered at risk?
Both depend on large, mature trees within intact, undisturbed forest, and ongoing deforestation across their respective ranges in Southeast Asia and Patagonia has driven population declines in both species.