Turdus swalesi

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	PASSERIFORMES	TURDIDAE

Scientific Name:

Turdus swalesi

Species Authority:

(Wetmore, 1927)

Common Name/s:

English

–

La Selle Thrush

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Endangered B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v) ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Mahood, S., Butchart, S.

Contributor/s:

Latta, S., Klein, N.

Justification:
The combination of a very small, severely fragmented and declining range qualifies this species as Endangered. It has been apparently extirpated (or is on the brink of extirpation) from several significant portions of its disjunct range.

History:

2004	–	Endangered
2000	–	Endangered
1996	–	Vulnerable
1994	–	Vulnerable
1988	–	Near Threatened

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Turdus swalesi is endemic to Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic). It can be locally fairly common, but is now mostly restricted to isolated habitat patches³. The nominate race occurs in the Massif de la Selle, Haiti, and Sierra de Baoruco, Dominican Republic. The race dodae occurs in the Sierra de Neiba and Cordillera Central, Dominican Republic. It was formerly common in La Visite National Park, Haiti, and appears still to occur at higher densities in the Massif de la Selle than elsewhere within its range⁵.
Countries:	Native: Dominican Republic; Haiti
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Population estimate = 1.1-17.0 individuals/km2 x 818 km2 (20% EOO) = 900-13,906, but probably best placed within band 2,500-9,999, as "locally common in appropriate habitat" [Collar et al. 1992] (density is lowest to lower quartile of 11 estimates for seven congeners of forest habitats in the BirdLife Population Density Spreadsheet).
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It occurs mainly above 1,300 m in the dense understorey of moist montane broadleaf forest. It is occasionally found in pine forest, but only where there is a very well-developed broadleaf understorey (a habitat that is now extremely rare in the Dominican Republic)³. Breeding has been reported from May-July, and 2-3 eggs are laid¹. The nest is a bulky cup structure constructed principally of moss, and placed low in a shrub, bush or low tree^1,4. It mainly forages on the ground for earthworms, insects and fruit⁴.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

It occurs mainly above 1,300 m in the dense understorey of moist montane broadleaf forest. It is occasionally found in pine forest, but only where there is a very well-developed broadleaf understorey (a habitat that is now extremely rare in the Dominican Republic)³. Breeding has been reported from May-July, and 2-3 eggs are laid¹. The nest is a bulky cup structure constructed principally of moss, and placed low in a shrub, bush or low tree^1,4. It mainly forages on the ground for earthworms, insects and fruit⁴.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	There has been massive habitat loss in Hispaniola, and remaining patches are severely threatened by ongoing deforestation for agriculture and timber. In the Dominican Republic, suitable habitat has generally disappeared except in the Sierra de Baoruco, remote portions of the Cordillera Central and very small patches in the Sierra de Neiba^2,3. Suitable forest has disappeared from much of the species's range in Haiti, with La Visite National Park containing one of the last significant fragments.

Major Threat(s):

There has been massive habitat loss in Hispaniola, and remaining patches are severely threatened by ongoing deforestation for agriculture and timber. In the Dominican Republic, suitable habitat has generally disappeared except in the Sierra de Baoruco, remote portions of the Cordillera Central and very small patches in the Sierra de Neiba^2,3. Suitable forest has disappeared from much of the species's range in Haiti, with La Visite National Park containing one of the last significant fragments.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway It occurs in the Sierra de Baoruco and Armando Bermudez National Parks, Dominican Republic, and La Visite National Park, Haiti. Conservation Actions Proposed Assess its status in Haiti (especially in La Visite National Park) and the Sierra de Neiba. Effectively protect existing reserves.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
It occurs in the Sierra de Baoruco and Armando Bermudez National Parks, Dominican Republic, and La Visite National Park, Haiti.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Assess its status in Haiti (especially in La Visite National Park) and the Sierra de Neiba. Effectively protect existing reserves.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2008. Turdus swalesi. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 09 February 2012.
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