Leptasthenura xenothorax

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	FURNARIIDAE

Scientific Name:

Leptasthenura xenothorax

Species Authority:

Chapman, 1921

Common Name/s:

English

–

White-browed Tit-spinetail, White-browed Tit-Spinetail

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Endangered B1ab(i,ii,iii,v);C2a(i) ver 3.1

Year Published:

2012

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Butchart, S. & Symes, A.

Contributor/s:

Bushell, C., Lloyd, H. & Servat, G.

Justification:
This species has a very small and severely fragmented range and population, which continue to decline with habitat loss and a lack of habitat regeneration (Collar et al. 1992). It therefore is listed as Endangered.

History:

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

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Leptasthenura xenothorax has a very restricted and severely fragmented range in the Runtacocha highland (Apurímac), the Nevado Sacsarayoc massif and the Cordillera Vilcanota (Cuzco), south-central Peru. Significant populations of c.35-70 individuals were estimated at three sites in Cuzco in 1987-1989, but declines have been observed at some of these, and the population density is very low in the Runtacocha highland (Fjeldså and Kessler 1996). The patchiness and scarcity of its habitat, which may now occupy less than 3% of the estimated potential cover in large parts of Cuzco (Fjeldså and Kessler 1996), suggests that the total population must now be very small (Fjeldså and Krabbe 1990), with one recent estimate of 500-1,500 individuals (Engblom et al. 2002).
Countries:	Native: Peru
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Engblom et al. (2002) estimate the known population to be c.500 birds, with a potential total population of c.1,500. The number of mature individuals is therefore likely to fall between 250 and 999.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It occurs in small, often widely scattered, patches of humid Polylepis woodland at elevations of 3,700-4,550 m. An adult was observed attending a nest-hole in a Polylepis tree in November 1997 (C. Bushell in litt. 1999), and recently fledged young were observed in December 2003 (H. Lloyd in litt. 2004) but its breeding ecology remains very poorly known. It forages in pairs or small family groups of three or four, picking insects from the bark, moss and lichens on twigs, branches and trunks, often in mixed-species flocks.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

It occurs in small, often widely scattered, patches of humid Polylepis woodland at elevations of 3,700-4,550 m. An adult was observed attending a nest-hole in a Polylepis tree in November 1997 (C. Bushell in litt. 1999), and recently fledged young were observed in December 2003 (H. Lloyd in litt. 2004) but its breeding ecology remains very poorly known. It forages in pairs or small family groups of three or four, picking insects from the bark, moss and lichens on twigs, branches and trunks, often in mixed-species flocks.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Uncontrolled fires and heavy grazing prevent Polylepis regeneration (Fjeldså and Kessler 1996). Cutting for timber, firewood and charcoal is locally destructive, but could be sustained if regeneration were not prevented (Fjeldså and Kessler 1996). Other factors are the change from camelid to sheep- and cattle-farming, and the inadequacy of afforestation projects (in particular the use of exotic tree species) (Fjeldså and Kessler 1996). The extent of Polylepis woodlands in Cuzco halved during the 1980s.

Major Threat(s):

Uncontrolled fires and heavy grazing prevent Polylepis regeneration (Fjeldså and Kessler 1996). Cutting for timber, firewood and charcoal is locally destructive, but could be sustained if regeneration were not prevented (Fjeldså and Kessler 1996). Other factors are the change from camelid to sheep- and cattle-farming, and the inadequacy of afforestation projects (in particular the use of exotic tree species) (Fjeldså and Kessler 1996). The extent of Polylepis woodlands in Cuzco halved during the 1980s.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway There have been some attempts to draw local attention to the plight of Polylepis woodlands in Cuzco, Peru. In the Runtacocha highland, local families have been advised by a Cuzco-based conservation group, and appear positive towards better environmental control (Fjeldså and Kessler 1996). Surveys of Polylepis and high-altitude habitats have been conducted and suggestions for the conservation of these habitats have been published (Fjeldså and Kessler 1996). A recent joint programme aims to protect Polylepis forests and develop alternatives for local consumption of fuel and timber. It provides Polylepis saplings for forest regeneration and Eucalyptus saplings for use as an alternative timber species, and villagers are paid to plant the saplings in a community aid programme (Rome 2003). Conservation Actions Proposed Survey remaining Polylepis habitat in the Cordillera Vilcanota (Fjeldså and Kessler 1996, G. Servat in litt. 1999). Protect Yanacocha forest and other Polylepis habitat in the Cordillera Vilcanota (G. Servat in litt. 1999). Expand the Polylepis planting programme, and plant buffer zones below Polylepis woodland with firewood species to provide an alternative fuel source (Fjeldså and Kessler 1996).

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
There have been some attempts to draw local attention to the plight of Polylepis woodlands in Cuzco, Peru. In the Runtacocha highland, local families have been advised by a Cuzco-based conservation group, and appear positive towards better environmental control (Fjeldså and Kessler 1996). Surveys of Polylepis and high-altitude habitats have been conducted and suggestions for the conservation of these habitats have been published (Fjeldså and Kessler 1996). A recent joint programme aims to protect Polylepis forests and develop alternatives for local consumption of fuel and timber. It provides Polylepis saplings for forest regeneration and Eucalyptus saplings for use as an alternative timber species, and villagers are paid to plant the saplings in a community aid programme (Rome 2003).

Conservation Actions Proposed
Survey remaining Polylepis habitat in the Cordillera Vilcanota (Fjeldså and Kessler 1996, G. Servat in litt. 1999). Protect Yanacocha forest and other Polylepis habitat in the Cordillera Vilcanota (G. Servat in litt. 1999). Expand the Polylepis planting programme, and plant buffer zones below Polylepis woodland with firewood species to provide an alternative fuel source (Fjeldså and Kessler 1996).

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