Okinawa woodpecker breeding stops construction

[Barry K. MacKay]

 

A story in the Nikkei today:

http://www.nikkei.com/article/ DGXNASJC2203B_T20C13A5ACW000/

A rough-ish translation:

Discovery of nest of endangered Okinawa woodpecker in Kunagumi  stops construction

An Okinawa woodpecker (Noguchi gera), which occurs only in the Yanbaru area in north Okinawa, has been discovered nesting near a construction site in Kunagumi Village, Okinawa. The woodpecker is a species threatened by extinction and so sensitive that it may abandon breeding if approached by humans. Local officials have stopped construction and are monitoring the parents and chick development. According to Okinawa's Forestry and Afforestation Division, there was ongoing work on a forest road in Kunagumi as part of repairs after typhoon damage, and at the beginning of May, a report was received that the woodpecker was nesting nearby. Surveyors observed a nest in one tree, but found no eggs or chicks.

However, in a second survey on May 13, adult birds were observed raising chicks in a different tree, and the decision was then made to halt the construction work until the chicks had fully fledged. It is likely there are other Okinawa woodpeckers breeding near construction sites in the area, so the Forestry Division is calling for information.