Phoenicopterus chilensis

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	PHOENICOPTERIFORMES	PHOENICOPTERIDAE

Scientific Name:

Phoenicopterus chilensis

Species Authority:

Molina, 1782

Common Name/s:

English	–	Chilean Flamingo
Spanish	–	Flamenco Chileno

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Near Threatened ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Symes, A., Butchart, S.

Contributor/s:

Clay, R., Plenge, M.

Justification:
This species is apparently declining moderately rapidly owing to egg-harvesting, hunting, disturbance and the degradation of its habitat. It is consequently classified as Near Threatened.

History:

2006	–	Near Threatened
2004	–	Near Threatened

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Phoenicopterus chilensis breeds in central Peru (apparently erratically, irregularly and in small numbers)⁴, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile and perhaps erratically in Paraguay (at least one breeding record)¹, with a few wintering in Uruguay and south-east Brazil, and vagrants in Ecuador and the Falkland Islands (Malvinas). In the mid-1970s, the population was estimated at 500,000 birds, but more recent figures of 100,000 in Argentina, up to 30,000 in Chile, and tens of thousands in Peru and Bolivia, suggest that no more than 200,000 individuals persist. Undoubtedly declining, its perceived extent is perhaps misleading, and may partially reflect improved census methods³.
Countries:	Native: Argentina; Bolivia; Brazil; Chile; Ecuador; Paraguay; Peru; Uruguay Vagrant: Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	del Hoyo (1992); Valqui et al. (2000).
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It occurs on coastal mudflats, estuaries, lagoons and salt-lakes at elevations up to 4,500 m. Breeding habitat is typified by the presence of suitable salinities and islands with extensive surrounding mudflats - conditions that do not occur each year. At Mar Chiquita, birds bred in only nine of the 26 years to 1999⁵.
Systems:	Freshwater; Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	It has probably been subject to intensive egg-harvesting since the arrival of humans in South America and, in recent years, egg-collectors have been responsible for the partial or complete failure of colonies in Bolivia^2,3. Mar Chiquita (Argentina), perhaps the most important breeding site, is threatened by abstraction of water for irrigation projects⁵. Mining has wrought extensive habitat alteration, and the species also suffers from hunting and tourism-related disturbance².

Major Threat(s):

It has probably been subject to intensive egg-harvesting since the arrival of humans in South America and, in recent years, egg-collectors have been responsible for the partial or complete failure of colonies in Bolivia^2,3. Mar Chiquita (Argentina), perhaps the most important breeding site, is threatened by abstraction of water for irrigation projects⁵. Mining has wrought extensive habitat alteration, and the species also suffers from hunting and tourism-related disturbance².

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway CITES Appendix II. CMS Appendix II. Conservation Actions Proposed Extend and continue simultaneous surveys during breeding season to monitor population. Introduce measures to control intensive egg-harvesting.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix II. CMS Appendix II.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Extend and continue simultaneous surveys during breeding season to monitor population. Introduce measures to control intensive egg-harvesting.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2008. Phoenicopterus chilensis. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 24 May 2012.
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