Fringilla teydea

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	FRINGILLIDAE

Scientific Name:

Fringilla teydea

Species Authority:

Webb, Berthelot & Moquin-Tandon, 1841

Common Name/s:

English

–

Blue Chaffinch, Canary Islands Chaffinch, Teydefinch

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Near Threatened ver 3.1

Year Published:

2012

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Butchart, S. & Symes, A.

Contributor/s:

Iñigo, A.

Justification:
This species has a small range and a moderately small population. The taxon F. t. polatzeki of Gran Canaria is rare and highly threatened, but the area of suitable habitat on Tenerife (the majority of the range) is increasing overall, which suggests that the population is also increasing, and the range is not severely fragmented. However, forest fires remain a serious and plausible potential threat and have the potential cause a rapid population decline which would warrant the species being uplisted to Vulnerable or Endangered. For this reason, the species is classified as Near Threatened. Were appropriate action to be taken which reduces the risk of serious fires such that they no longer represent a plausible threat, the species may be eligible for downlisting to Least Concern in the future.

History:

2011	–	Near Threatened
2008	–	Near Threatened
2004	–	Near Threatened

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Fringilla teydea is found only on Tenerife (subspecies teydea) and Gran Canaria (subspecies polatzeki) in the Canary Islands, Spain. The total population is estimated to be 1,800-4,500 individuals, with the majority on Tenerife and approximately 250 individuals on Gran Canaria. On Gran Canaria it occupies a tiny range which is declining: it is restricted to patches of woodland totalling 3.6 km² at Ojeda, Inagua and Pajonales. However, as the Gran Canaria race is such a small proportion of the total population, the species's overall range and population are effectively increasing due to positive trends in the area of suitable habitat on Tenerife (Barov and Derhé 2011). The subspecies on Gran Canaria continues to require intensive conservation efforts if it is to persist.
Countries:	Native: Spain (Canary Is.); Spain (Canary Is.)
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	The population was estimated at 1,000-2,500 pairs in 2004, equating to 2,000-5,000 mature individuals and roughly 3,000-7,500 individuals in total.
Population Trend:	Increasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It is largely dependent on Canary pine Pinus canariensis and will inhabit reforested areas where these fall within the natural distribution of this tree. Although Canary pine seeds constitute its main food source, birds occasionally feed outside pinewoods during severe weather. During the breeding season, it is found in pinewoods at 1,000-2,000 m with a high proportion of broom Chamaecytisus proliferus in the understorey. The species selects sheltered sites for feeding during the non-breeding period, with the selection of less sheltered sites mediated by pine seed availability (Garcia-del-Rey et al. 2009). It is been recorded from 800 to 2,300m at other times. The breeding season lasts from April to early August. Two eggs are generally laid. The main cause of breeding failure is predation, mostly by the Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major (Rodríguez and Moreno 2008).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

It is largely dependent on Canary pine Pinus canariensis and will inhabit reforested areas where these fall within the natural distribution of this tree. Although Canary pine seeds constitute its main food source, birds occasionally feed outside pinewoods during severe weather. During the breeding season, it is found in pinewoods at 1,000-2,000 m with a high proportion of broom Chamaecytisus proliferus in the understorey. The species selects sheltered sites for feeding during the non-breeding period, with the selection of less sheltered sites mediated by pine seed availability (Garcia-del-Rey et al. 2009). It is been recorded from 800 to 2,300m at other times. The breeding season lasts from April to early August. Two eggs are generally laid. The main cause of breeding failure is predation, mostly by the Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major (Rodríguez and Moreno 2008).

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	It suffers from being captured and kept in cages, and possibly also still from illegal trade, primarily to Italy, Germany and Belgium, which may have an effect on population levels. Its pinewood habitat has been subject to intense commercial exploitation which has resulted in habitat fragmentation and population isolation, particularly on Gran Canaria. Forest fires have been important in the destruction of pinewoods on Gran Canaria, most recently in the summer of 2007 when significant areas were destroyed including one of the most important sites on Gran Canaria. Protected areas are heavily used for recreation and leisure on Gran Canaria and this may cause disturbance. Inbreeding may also be a significant threat in the Gran Canaria population (Barov and Derhé 2011).

Major Threat(s):

It suffers from being captured and kept in cages, and possibly also still from illegal trade, primarily to Italy, Germany and Belgium, which may have an effect on population levels. Its pinewood habitat has been subject to intense commercial exploitation which has resulted in habitat fragmentation and population isolation, particularly on Gran Canaria. Forest fires have been important in the destruction of pinewoods on Gran Canaria, most recently in the summer of 2007 when significant areas were destroyed including one of the most important sites on Gran Canaria. Protected areas are heavily used for recreation and leisure on Gran Canaria and this may cause disturbance. Inbreeding may also be a significant threat in the Gran Canaria population (Barov and Derhé 2011).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway It has been legally protected from hunting, capture, trade, egg or chick collection since 1980. Key areas on Gran Canaria have been protected since 1982 and El Teide forest on Tenerife and six important areas on Gran Canaria were designated as National Parks or Natural Areas in 1987. A conservation programme was initiated in 1991 and a captive breeding programme began in 1992. An action plan was published in 1996 (González 1996). Captive breeding on Gran Canaria was started anew in 2005, and the first chicks were expected to be released in 2010 (Barov and Derhé 2011). Fire prevention measures are implemented, particularly during the summer, and access to suitable habitat is limited on Gran Canaria. There is also an ongoing project that focuses on the restoration of fire-damaged pine forest on Gran Canaria. Control measures against alien species are being implemented on Tenerife and cats have been controlled on Gran Canaria since 1996. Research is being conducted into the potential threat of inbreeding in the population on Gran Canaria (Barov and Derhé 2011). Conservation Actions Proposed Monitoring and research should be continued and expanded. An official governmental action plan should be produced to detail conservation requirements such as habitat restoration, prevention of forest fires and eradication of illegal trade. In addition, the species should be included under CITES and adequate protection should be ensured under the Countryside Law and Wildlife Protection Law. Forest management should focus on thinning areas of dense pine trees (as in García-del-Rey et al. 2010) where no undergrowth persists and reafforesting areas within the former range of pine forests on the islands (García-del-Rey and Cresswell 2005). Carry out further work to divert recreational activities from important sites. Conduct public awareness campaigns. Protect drinking sites.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
It has been legally protected from hunting, capture, trade, egg or chick collection since 1980. Key areas on Gran Canaria have been protected since 1982 and El Teide forest on Tenerife and six important areas on Gran Canaria were designated as National Parks or Natural Areas in 1987. A conservation programme was initiated in 1991 and a captive breeding programme began in 1992. An action plan was published in 1996 (González 1996). Captive breeding on Gran Canaria was started anew in 2005, and the first chicks were expected to be released in 2010 (Barov and Derhé 2011). Fire prevention measures are implemented, particularly during the summer, and access to suitable habitat is limited on Gran Canaria. There is also an ongoing project that focuses on the restoration of fire-damaged pine forest on Gran Canaria. Control measures against alien species are being implemented on Tenerife and cats have been controlled on Gran Canaria since 1996. Research is being conducted into the potential threat of inbreeding in the population on Gran Canaria (Barov and Derhé 2011).

Conservation Actions Proposed
Monitoring and research should be continued and expanded. An official governmental action plan should be produced to detail conservation requirements such as habitat restoration, prevention of forest fires and eradication of illegal trade. In addition, the species should be included under CITES and adequate protection should be ensured under the Countryside Law and Wildlife Protection Law. Forest management should focus on thinning areas of dense pine trees (as in García-del-Rey et al. 2010) where no undergrowth persists and reafforesting areas within the former range of pine forests on the islands (García-del-Rey and Cresswell 2005). Carry out further work to divert recreational activities from important sites. Conduct public awareness campaigns. Protect drinking sites.

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