Cercomacra carbonaria

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	PASSERIFORMES	THAMNOPHILIDAE

Scientific Name:

Cercomacra carbonaria

Species Authority:

Sclater & Salvin, 1873

Common Name/s:

English

–

Rio Branco Antbird

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Critically Endangered A3c ver 3.1

Year Published:

2012

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Butchart, S. & Symes, A.

Contributor/s:

Silveira, L., Vale, M. & Whittaker, A.

Justification:
This species, which has a small range and moderately small population, has been uplisted to Critically Endangered because a model of future deforestation in the Amazon basin predicts that its population will decline extremely rapidly over the next three generations as land is cleared for cattle ranching and soy production, facilitated by expansion of the road network.

History:

2008	–	Near Threatened
2004	–	Vulnerable
2000	–	Vulnerable
1996	–	Vulnerable
1994	–	Vulnerable

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Cercomacra carbonaria is limited to middle sections of the rio Branco and some of its tributaries in Roraima, extreme north Brazil, and adjacent Guyana. It ranges from Caracarai in the south, along the rio Branco and rio Tacutu to the Ireng river in Guyana, less than 2 km from its confluence with the rio Tacutu (Zimmer et al. 1997b). It has been found on the rio Mucajaí, and also along the rio Parime and the rio Uraricoera (Grosset and Minns 2002, Vale et al. 2007). Given the recent increase in records from a wider geographic area the estimated extent of available habitat has been increased to 723 km², it is fairly common within this range, (c.80 individuals per km²) extrapolations indicate that the population is c.15,000 individuals (Vale et al. 2007).
Countries:	Native: Brazil; Guyana
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Vale et al. (undated) extended the range to 723 km². Assuming a population density of 80 individuals / km² gives a total population estimate of c.15,000 individuals, so it is placed in the band 10,000-19,999 individuals. This equates to 6,667-13,333 mature individuals, rounded here to 6,000-15,000 mature individuals.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	On the mainland, it apparently only occurs in dense thickets along the river edge, where suitable habitat is restricted to within 0.5 km² of the rivers (Zimmer et al. 1997b). On Ilha São Jose, it largely inhabits interior, densely wooded forest, with trees 20-30 m in height (Zimmer et al. 1997b). It has also been found in dense second growth, consisting mostly of overgrown manioc plantations with widely scattered, 20-30 m trees (Zimmer et al. 1997b). The diameter of territories is 100-150 m, and breeding is probably in the wet season (Zimmer et al. 1997b).
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

On the mainland, it apparently only occurs in dense thickets along the river edge, where suitable habitat is restricted to within 0.5 km² of the rivers (Zimmer et al. 1997b). On Ilha São Jose, it largely inhabits interior, densely wooded forest, with trees 20-30 m in height (Zimmer et al. 1997b). It has also been found in dense second growth, consisting mostly of overgrown manioc plantations with widely scattered, 20-30 m trees (Zimmer et al. 1997b). The diameter of territories is 100-150 m, and breeding is probably in the wet season (Zimmer et al. 1997b).

Systems:

Terrestrial; Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	There has been some conversion to agriculture, especially rice cultivation, and some trees in the gallery forest are selectively logged (Zimmer et al. 1997b), and burning of habitat may be a significant threat. In 1998, c.75% of Ilha São Jose was burnt, and widespread fires in Roraima in 1999 probably had a severe impact on its river-edge habitats (A. Whittaker in litt. 1999). The primary threat is now thought to be accelerating deforestation in the Amazon basin as land is cleared for cattle ranching and soy production, facilitated by expansion of the road network (Soares-Filho et al. 2006, Bird et al. 2011). Proposed changes to the Brazilian Forest Code reduce the percentage of land a private landowner is legally required to maintain as forest (including, critically, a reduction in the width of forest buffers alongside perennial steams) and include an amnesty for landowners who deforested before July 2008 (who would subsequently be absolved of the need to reforest illegally cleared land) (Bird et al. 2011).

Major Threat(s):

There has been some conversion to agriculture, especially rice cultivation, and some trees in the gallery forest are selectively logged (Zimmer et al. 1997b), and burning of habitat may be a significant threat. In 1998, c.75% of Ilha São Jose was burnt, and widespread fires in Roraima in 1999 probably had a severe impact on its river-edge habitats (A. Whittaker in litt. 1999). The primary threat is now thought to be accelerating deforestation in the Amazon basin as land is cleared for cattle ranching and soy production, facilitated by expansion of the road network (Soares-Filho et al. 2006, Bird et al. 2011). Proposed changes to the Brazilian Forest Code reduce the percentage of land a private landowner is legally required to maintain as forest (including, critically, a reduction in the width of forest buffers alongside perennial steams) and include an amnesty for landowners who deforested before July 2008 (who would subsequently be absolved of the need to reforest illegally cleared land) (Bird et al. 2011).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway Surveys have clearly delimited the species's range (Zimmer et al. 1997b, Vale et al. 2007), but no other measures have been taken. Conservation Actions Proposed Assess the impact of recent fires on the species. Protect river-island habitat, especially Ilha Boa Água and Ilha São Jose with adjacent gallery forest on the mainland. Expand the protected area network to effectively protect IBAs. Effectively resource and manage existing and new protected areas, utilising emerging opportunities to finance protected area management with the joint aims of reducing carbon emissions and maximizing biodiversity conservation. Conservation on private lands, through expanding market pressures for sound land management and preventing forest clearance on lands unsuitable for agriculture, is also essential (Soares-Filho et al. 2006). Campaign against proposed changes to the Brazilian Forest Code that would lead to a decrease in the width of the areas of riverine forest protected as Permanent Preservation Areas (APPs), which function as vital corridors in fragmented landscapes.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
Surveys have clearly delimited the species's range (Zimmer et al. 1997b, Vale et al. 2007), but no other measures have been taken.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Assess the impact of recent fires on the species. Protect river-island habitat, especially Ilha Boa Água and Ilha São Jose with adjacent gallery forest on the mainland. Expand the protected area network to effectively protect IBAs. Effectively resource and manage existing and new protected areas, utilising emerging opportunities to finance protected area management with the joint aims of reducing carbon emissions and maximizing biodiversity conservation. Conservation on private lands, through expanding market pressures for sound land management and preventing forest clearance on lands unsuitable for agriculture, is also essential (Soares-Filho et al. 2006). Campaign against proposed changes to the Brazilian Forest Code that would lead to a decrease in the width of the areas of riverine forest protected as Permanent Preservation Areas (APPs), which function as vital corridors in fragmented landscapes.

Bibliography [top]

	Bird, J. P.; Buchanan, J. M.; Lees, A. C.; Clay, R. P.; Develey, P. F.; Yépez, I.; Butchart, S. H. M. 2011. Integrating spatially explicit habitat projections into extinction risk assessments: a reassessment of Amazonian avifauna incorporating projected deforestation. Diversity and Distributions: doi: 10.1111/j.1472-4642.2011.00843.x. Collar, N. J.; Gonzaga, L. P.; Krabbe, N.; Madroño Nieto, A.; Naranjo, L. G.; Parker, T. A.; Wege, D. C. 1992. Threatened birds of the Americas: the ICBP/IUCN Red Data Book. International Council for Bird Preservation, Cambridge, U.K. Grosset, A.; Minns, J. 2002. Photospot: Hoary-throated Spinetail Poecilurus kollari. Cotinga 18: 114. IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2012.1). Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 19 June 2012). Soares-Filho, B.S.; Nepstad, D.C.; Curran, L.M.; Cerqueira, G.C.; Garcia, R. A.; Ramos, C. A.; Voll, E.; McDonald, A.; Lefebvre, P.; Schlesinger, P. 2006. Modelling conservation in the Amazon basin. Nature 440(7083): 520-523. Vale, M. M.; Bell, J. B.; Alves, M. A. S.; Pimm, S. L. 2007. Abundance, distribution and conservation of Rio Brance Antbird Cercomacra carbonaria and Hoary-throated Spinetail Synallaxis kollari. Bird Conservation International 17(3): 245-247. Zimmer, K. J.; Whittaker, A.; Stotz, D. F. 1997. Vocalizations, behaviour and distribution of the Rio Branco Antbird. Wilson Bulletin 109: 663-678.

Bird, J. P.; Buchanan, J. M.; Lees, A. C.; Clay, R. P.; Develey, P. F.; Yépez, I.; Butchart, S. H. M. 2011. Integrating spatially explicit habitat projections into extinction risk assessments: a reassessment of Amazonian avifauna incorporating projected deforestation. Diversity and Distributions: doi: 10.1111/j.1472-4642.2011.00843.x.

Collar, N. J.; Gonzaga, L. P.; Krabbe, N.; Madroño Nieto, A.; Naranjo, L. G.; Parker, T. A.; Wege, D. C. 1992. Threatened birds of the Americas: the ICBP/IUCN Red Data Book. International Council for Bird Preservation, Cambridge, U.K.

Grosset, A.; Minns, J. 2002. Photospot: Hoary-throated Spinetail Poecilurus kollari. Cotinga 18: 114.

IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2012.1). Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 19 June 2012).

Soares-Filho, B.S.; Nepstad, D.C.; Curran, L.M.; Cerqueira, G.C.; Garcia, R. A.; Ramos, C. A.; Voll, E.; McDonald, A.; Lefebvre, P.; Schlesinger, P. 2006. Modelling conservation in the Amazon basin. Nature 440(7083): 520-523.

Vale, M. M.; Bell, J. B.; Alves, M. A. S.; Pimm, S. L. 2007. Abundance, distribution and conservation of Rio Brance Antbird Cercomacra carbonaria and Hoary-throated Spinetail Synallaxis kollari. Bird Conservation International 17(3): 245-247.

Zimmer, K. J.; Whittaker, A.; Stotz, D. F. 1997. Vocalizations, behaviour and distribution of the Rio Branco Antbird. Wilson Bulletin 109: 663-678.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2012. Cercomacra carbonaria. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 22 May 2013.
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