Chaetocercus berlepschi

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	APODIFORMES	TROCHILIDAE

Scientific Name:

Chaetocercus berlepschi

Species Authority:

Simon, 1889

Common Name/s:

English	–	Esmeraldas Woodstar
Spanish	–	Colibrí de Esmeraldas, Estrellita Esmeraldeña

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Endangered A2c+3c+4c;B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v);C2a(ii) ver 3.1

Year Published:

2012

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Butchart, S. & Symes, A.

Contributor/s:

Croxall, J. & Horstman, E.

Justification:
This species has a very small and severely fragmented range. There are also on-going and very rapid declines in its range, and presumably population. It is therefore listed as Endangered.

History:

2008	–	Endangered
2004	–	Endangered
2000	–	Endangered
1996	–	Endangered
1994	–	Endangered

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Chaetocercus berlepschi is restricted to a small area of west Ecuador (Esmeraldas, Manabí, Santa Elena and Guayas), where it is very rare and localised (fewer than 15 known sites). Very little suitable habitat remains, and the species's distribution is extremely fragmented. Small numbers persist south of the río Ayampe, Machalilla National Park (Becker et al. 2000), Guayas, between October and March, but it is apparently absent during other months. In 1993, it was found near Súa, Esmeraldas, in an area severely threatened by logging (Best et al. 1996), and, in 1998, one male was recorded on Isla de la Plata (Becker et al. 2000). Several males were observed in the Loma Alta Communal Reserve, Guayas, in December 2002 and 2003, and a male was at Dos Mangas Communal Reserve, Guayas in December 2005 (Agreda 2007). During 2007-2008, 11 new localities were found in the lowlands of Manabí and Santa Elena (Harris et al. 2009).
Countries:	Native: Ecuador
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	The population is estimated to number 250-999 mature individuals based on an assessment of known records, descriptions of abundance and range size. This is consistent with recorded population density estimates for congeners or close relatives with a similar body size, and the fact that only a proportion of the estimated Extent of Occurrence is likely to be occupied. This estimate is equivalent to 375-1,499 individuals in total, rounded here to 350-1,500 individuals.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Population:

The population is estimated to number 250-999 mature individuals based on an assessment of known records, descriptions of abundance and range size. This is consistent with recorded population density estimates for congeners or close relatives with a similar body size, and the fact that only a proportion of the estimated Extent of Occurrence is likely to be occupied. This estimate is equivalent to 375-1,499 individuals in total, rounded here to 350-1,500 individuals.

Population Trend:

Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This hummingbird inhabits semi-deciduous to evergreen moist (c.1,500 mm annual rainfall) forest along the Pacific coast of western Ecuador from around sea level to 750 m elevation (Becker et al. 2000, Ridgely and Greenfield 2001, Agreda 2007, Harris et al. 2009). The vast majority of records come from the rainy season, i.e. from mid-October until late May. The species is found along a gradient from low elevation (0-250 m), partially disturbed areas (Becker et al. 2000, Ridgely and Greenfield 2001) to more intact, higher elevation (250-750 m), misty "garúa" (low-level cloud) forest in the hills of the Cordillera Chongón-Colonche (Agreda 2007). A recent record from a garden (J. Croxall in litt. 2011) shows at least a partial tolerance for degraded habitat. It appears to breed in lower elevation, disturbed areas along the central Ecuadorian coast and move to northwestern Ecuador for the non-breeding season (Harris et al. 2009). A male studied in 2005 fed mainly in a flowering patch of understorey herb Razisea (Agreda 2007). Other common foodplants include Kohleria spicata, Cornutia pyramidae and flowering Vitex gigantea trees (Harris et al. 2009, E. von Horstman in litt. 2012). A total of 21 active nests were encountered between October and April, at 30-350 m elevation and within 14 km of the sea (Harris et al. 2009, Juiña et al. 2010). Most were in areas disturbed by cattle ranching, but adjacent to large blocks of forest (Harris et al. 2009, Juiña et al. 2010). Nesting biology is discussed further by Juiña et al. (2010).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

This hummingbird inhabits semi-deciduous to evergreen moist (c.1,500 mm annual rainfall) forest along the Pacific coast of western Ecuador from around sea level to 750 m elevation (Becker et al. 2000, Ridgely and Greenfield 2001, Agreda 2007, Harris et al. 2009). The vast majority of records come from the rainy season, i.e. from mid-October until late May. The species is found along a gradient from low elevation (0-250 m), partially disturbed areas (Becker et al. 2000, Ridgely and Greenfield 2001) to more intact, higher elevation (250-750 m), misty "garúa" (low-level cloud) forest in the hills of the Cordillera Chongón-Colonche (Agreda 2007). A recent record from a garden (J. Croxall in litt. 2011) shows at least a partial tolerance for degraded habitat. It appears to breed in lower elevation, disturbed areas along the central Ecuadorian coast and move to northwestern Ecuador for the non-breeding season (Harris et al. 2009). A male studied in 2005 fed mainly in a flowering patch of understorey herb Razisea (Agreda 2007). Other common foodplants include Kohleria spicata, Cornutia pyramidae and flowering Vitex gigantea trees (Harris et al. 2009, E. von Horstman in litt. 2012). A total of 21 active nests were encountered between October and April, at 30-350 m elevation and within 14 km of the sea (Harris et al. 2009, Juiña et al. 2010). Most were in areas disturbed by cattle ranching, but adjacent to large blocks of forest (Harris et al. 2009, Juiña et al. 2010). Nesting biology is discussed further by Juiña et al. (2010).

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	All forest-types within its range have greatly diminished owing to logging and agricultural clearance (Dodson and Gentry 1991, Best et al. 1996). Persistent grazing by goats and cattle damages the understorey, prevents regeneration and is a serious current threat (Dodson and Gentry 1991, Pople et al. 1997). Rapid habitat loss continues, at least in unprotected areas, and will soon remove almost all extant forest (Dodson and Gentry 1991). Uncontrolled forest fires are a major threat to forest in the Cordillera Chongón-Colonche (E. von Horstman in litt. 2000, 2008). Even in Machalilla, its habitat is threatened by illegal settlement, deforestation, livestock-grazing and habitat clearance by people with land rights (Becker et al. 2000, Harris et al. 2009)..

Major Threat(s):

All forest-types within its range have greatly diminished owing to logging and agricultural clearance (Dodson and Gentry 1991, Best et al. 1996). Persistent grazing by goats and cattle damages the understorey, prevents regeneration and is a serious current threat (Dodson and Gentry 1991, Pople et al. 1997). Rapid habitat loss continues, at least in unprotected areas, and will soon remove almost all extant forest (Dodson and Gentry 1991). Uncontrolled forest fires are a major threat to forest in the Cordillera Chongón-Colonche (E. von Horstman in litt. 2000, 2008). Even in Machalilla, its habitat is threatened by illegal settlement, deforestation, livestock-grazing and habitat clearance by people with land rights (Becker et al. 2000, Harris et al. 2009)..

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway CITES Appendix II. It occurs in Machalilla National Park, but this provides inadequate protection (Harris et al. 2009). The 7.5 km² Loma Alta Ecological Reserve receives local community support as a watershed reserve and conservation area (Becker and López Lanús 1997). The Chongón-Colonche Protection Forest may support the species, and a biological corridor linking forest remnants between this site and the Cerro Blanco Protected Forest is being set up (E. von Horstman in litt. 2012). Conservation Actions Proposed Survey remnant moist forest in the Colonche Hills. Determine its status on Isla de la Plata. Exclude roaming livestock from Machalilla (Best et al. 1996, Becker and López Lanús 1997). Prevent further loss and degradation of habitat within Machalilla. Map and protect forest within the Cordillera Chongón-Colonche (Becker and López Lanús 1997, E. von Horstman in litt. 2000, 2008). Encourage ecotourism at Loma Alta Ecological Reserve to financially benefit local people (Becker and López Lanús 1997). Establish a new protected area within the breeding habitat of the species (Harris et al. 2009).

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix II. It occurs in Machalilla National Park, but this provides inadequate protection (Harris et al. 2009). The 7.5 km² Loma Alta Ecological Reserve receives local community support as a watershed reserve and conservation area (Becker and López Lanús 1997). The Chongón-Colonche Protection Forest may support the species, and a biological corridor linking forest remnants between this site and the Cerro Blanco Protected Forest is being set up (E. von Horstman in litt. 2012).

Conservation Actions Proposed
Survey remnant moist forest in the Colonche Hills. Determine its status on Isla de la Plata. Exclude roaming livestock from Machalilla (Best et al. 1996, Becker and López Lanús 1997). Prevent further loss and degradation of habitat within Machalilla. Map and protect forest within the Cordillera Chongón-Colonche (Becker and López Lanús 1997, E. von Horstman in litt. 2000, 2008). Encourage ecotourism at Loma Alta Ecological Reserve to financially benefit local people (Becker and López Lanús 1997). Establish a new protected area within the breeding habitat of the species (Harris et al. 2009).

Citation:	BirdLife International 2012. Chaetocercus berlepschi. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 19 June 2013.
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