Phoenicoparrus andinus

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:

Phoenicoparrus andinus

Species Authority:

Philippi, 1854

Common Name/s:

English	–	Andean Flamingo
Spanish	–	Flamenco Andino, Parina Grande

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable A2bcd+3bcd+4bcd ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Butchart, S. & Symes, A.

Contributor/s:

Chebez, J. & Rocha, O.

Justification:
This species is listed as Vulnerable because it has undergone a rapid population decline owing to ongoing exploitation and declines in habitat quality. Although exploitation has decreased, the longevity and slow breeding of flamingos suggest that the legacy of past threats may persist through generations to come.

History:

2006	–	Vulnerable
2004	–	Vulnerable
2000	–	Vulnerable
1996	–	Vulnerable
1994	–	Vulnerable

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Phoenicoparrus andinus occurs on the high Andean plateaus of Peru, Chile, Bolivia and Argentina, with a resident population of c.100 at Laguna Mar Chiquita, Córdoba, lowland Argentina^2,8. It breeds at c.10 localities, notably Laguna Colorada and other salt-lakes in south-west Bolivia, Laguna de Salinas (Peru) and Salar de Atacama (Chile)^3,9,11. Breeding has just been recorded for the first time in Argentina (Laguna Brava), but may only occur during strong El Niño years¹³. Population assessments are difficult and vary greatly^3,5,6,12, but 50,000-100,000 individuals¹⁰ may have been realistic until the mid-1980s. The 34,000 estimated in 1997¹⁰, suggests that it declined rapidly during the preceding 10-15 years³. Breeding success appears to be consistently low³, and thus declines may continue for many years, because flamingos have a high longevity (20-50 years)⁴.
Countries:	Native: Argentina; Bolivia; Chile; Peru Vagrant: Brazil
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Rocha and Quiroga (1997). Estimate confirmed by surveys in January 2005 (Flamingo Specialist Group and Grupo para la Conservaciónde Flamencos Altoandinos in litt. 2005 to Wetlands International 2006).
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It is largely restricted to high mountain alkaline and salt-lakes, at 2,300-4,500 m. It may be nomadic in search of temporally patchy food supplies (mainly diatoms⁴). It breeds colonially, laying only one egg (unless first egg predated), mainly in December-February^4,11.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The collecting of eggs to sell as food was intensive in the mid-20th century and the early 1980s, with thousands taken annually^6,7. Mining activities, unfavourable water-levels (owing to weather and manipulation), erosion of nest-sites and human disturbance may also affect productivity³. Outside protected areas in Bolivia, there is a low level of hunting for food, oils and feathers, especially targeting immatures and juveniles^10,11.

Major Threat(s):

The collecting of eggs to sell as food was intensive in the mid-20th century and the early 1980s, with thousands taken annually^6,7. Mining activities, unfavourable water-levels (owing to weather and manipulation), erosion of nest-sites and human disturbance may also affect productivity³. Outside protected areas in Bolivia, there is a low level of hunting for food, oils and feathers, especially targeting immatures and juveniles^10,11.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway CITES Appendix II. CMS Appendix I. Breeding occurs in Salinas and Aguada Blanca Nature Reserve, Peru¹⁴, Salar de Atacama National Flamingo Reserve⁴, Chile, Las Chinchillas Provincial Natural Reserve, Argentina, and Eduardo Avaroa National Faunal Reserve, Bolivia, with a protected non-breeding site at Laguna de los Pozuelos Natural Monument, Argentina³. Conservation actions, locally including habitat management, prevention of egg-collecting and raising public awareness, are being undertaken^3,11. Conservation Actions Proposed Continue surveying high Andean salt-lakes¹ to monitor known populations and locate additional ones. Protect more sites and raise the status of existing reserves^10,11. Guard unprotected nest-sites¹⁰.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix II. CMS Appendix I. Breeding occurs in Salinas and Aguada Blanca Nature Reserve, Peru¹⁴, Salar de Atacama National Flamingo Reserve⁴, Chile, Las Chinchillas Provincial Natural Reserve, Argentina, and Eduardo Avaroa National Faunal Reserve, Bolivia, with a protected non-breeding site at Laguna de los Pozuelos Natural Monument, Argentina³. Conservation actions, locally including habitat management, prevention of egg-collecting and raising public awareness, are being undertaken^3,11.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Continue surveying high Andean salt-lakes¹ to monitor known populations and locate additional ones. Protect more sites and raise the status of existing reserves^10,11. Guard unprotected nest-sites¹⁰.

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