The Mottled Piculet (Picumnus nebulosus) in Yapeyú, Corrientes: update and extension of its distribution

Abstract

In Argentina, the Mottled Piculet (Picumnus nebulosus) is considered critically endangered. Among the key reasons for its conservation status are: its reduced range and the potential construction of the Garabí-Panambí dam, which would flood most of the species' habitat. In this article, we present a documented record in riparian forest along the Uruguay River, with an abundance of climbing lianas, in Yapeyú, Corrientes, on August 20, 2022. The record occurred 235 km south of the known localities in Argentina, extending the modern distribution by a factor of 10, and the historical distribution about 65 km to the south. This sector would not be impacted in case of the implementation of the Garabí dam. We suggest that the species could be found in more southerly localities in Argentina.