Procnias tricarunculatus

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	COTINGIDAE

Scientific Name:

Procnias tricarunculatus

Species Authority:

(Verreaux & Verreaux, 1853)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Three-wattled Bellbird

Taxonomic Notes:

Gender agreement of species name follows David and Gosselin (2002b).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable A2c+3c+4c ver 3.1

Year Published:

2012

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Butchart, S. & Symes, A.

Contributor/s:

Angehr, G. & Sharpe, C J, Stiles, F.

Justification:
This species is classified as Vulnerable because rapid population declines are suspected from extensive deforestation in its non-breeding range.

History:

2008	–	Vulnerable
2004	–	Vulnerable
2000	–	Vulnerable
1996	–	Vulnerable
1994	–	Vulnerable
1988	–	Near Threatened

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Procnias tricarunculatus breeds in central Costa Rica and Panama (with a small population on the Nicoya peninsula) (Stiles and Skutch 1989, F. G. Stiles in litt. 1999), north-west Nicaragua (Monroe 1968, Stiles and Skutch 1989), and almost certainly the Sierra de Agalta, Honduras (Anderson et al. 1998). In 1976, it was common on Isla Coiba, Panama (Ridgely and Gwynne 1989), where it presumably breeds and is potentially resident. It winters on the Caribbean slope and adjacent lowlands in Honduras and south-east Nicaragua (Monroe 1968, Howell and Webb 1995a, Powell and Bjork 2004), and in lowland and foothill forests on both slopes in Costa Rica and Panama. Records from the upper río Plátano may refer to transients (Vallely et al. 2010). In Panama, most birds now winter on the Caribbean slope, presumably because of deforestation in the Pacific lowlands (Ridgely and Gwynne 1989). A few recent records in the Canal zone perhaps refer to birds displaced from former wintering areas (Ridgely and Gwynne 1989).
Countries:	Native: Costa Rica; Honduras; Nicaragua; Panama
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	The population size is preliminarily estimated to fall into 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:	It breeds in foothill and highland moist forest at 1,200-2,100 m, and occasionally down to 750 m (Stiles and Skutch 1989). The breeding season is probably March-September (C. J. Sharpe in litt. 1999), but varies between years and locations (Stiles and Skutch 1989). In the non-breeding season, birds undertake complex migrations ranging up to 3,000 m (in Costa Rica), and then descending to the foothills and lowlands on both the Pacific and Caribbean slopes (Stiles and Skutch 1989, Powell and Bjork 2004). It can utilise small habitat fragments near to larger forest blocks where it often feeds on the fruit of vines (F. G. Stiles in litt. 1999, Powell and Bjork 2004).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

It breeds in foothill and highland moist forest at 1,200-2,100 m, and occasionally down to 750 m (Stiles and Skutch 1989). The breeding season is probably March-September (C. J. Sharpe in litt. 1999), but varies between years and locations (Stiles and Skutch 1989). In the non-breeding season, birds undertake complex migrations ranging up to 3,000 m (in Costa Rica), and then descending to the foothills and lowlands on both the Pacific and Caribbean slopes (Stiles and Skutch 1989, Powell and Bjork 2004). It can utilise small habitat fragments near to larger forest blocks where it often feeds on the fruit of vines (F. G. Stiles in litt. 1999, Powell and Bjork 2004).

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	There is ongoing habitat loss, especially in lowland wintering areas (G. R. Angehr in litt. 1998). The Caribbean lowlands are suffering conversion to banana plantations, cattle-ranches and logging, even in the important Indio-Maiz Reserve, Nicaragua (Powell and Bjork 2004). In north Costa Rica, 35% of remaining forest was eliminated in 1986-1992 (Powell et al. 1995). Pacific coastal habitats in Costa Rica utilised by bellbirds in the non-breeding season are very poorly represented in the protected area system (Powell and Bjork 2004). On the Caribbean slope in Panama, even some reserves are threatened by clearance for agriculture (Angehr and Jordán 1998).

Major Threat(s):

There is ongoing habitat loss, especially in lowland wintering areas (G. R. Angehr in litt. 1998). The Caribbean lowlands are suffering conversion to banana plantations, cattle-ranches and logging, even in the important Indio-Maiz Reserve, Nicaragua (Powell and Bjork 2004). In north Costa Rica, 35% of remaining forest was eliminated in 1986-1992 (Powell et al. 1995). Pacific coastal habitats in Costa Rica utilised by bellbirds in the non-breeding season are very poorly represented in the protected area system (Powell and Bjork 2004). On the Caribbean slope in Panama, even some reserves are threatened by clearance for agriculture (Angehr and Jordán 1998).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway It occurs in several highland reserves, notably Sierra de Agalta National Park (Honduras) (Anderson et al. 1998), Monteverde Biological Reserve (Costa Rica) and La Amistad International Park (Costa Rica and Panama) (Angehr and Jordán 1998). Non-breeding sites include Indio-Maiz Biological Reserve (Nicaragua [C. J. Sharpe in litt. 1999]; and presumably adjacent Barra del Colorado Faunal Refuge and Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica), Corcovado National Park (Costa Rica), San San Pond Sak Wetlands Ramsar Site and Coiba Island National Park (Panama) (Angehr and Jordán 1998). Its complex seasonal movements have been studied in Costa Rica (Powell and Bjork 2004). Conservation Actions Proposed Survey to delineate range and numbers, particularly outside Costa Rica (C. J. Sharpe in litt. 1999). Further study the ecology, especially seasonal movements (C. J. Sharpe in litt. 1999). Confirm breeding status and range in Honduras. Designate new protected areas, especially in the moist Pacific slope and lowlands of Costa Rica. Ensure the protection of Indio-Maiz Reserve, Nicaragua.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
It occurs in several highland reserves, notably Sierra de Agalta National Park (Honduras) (Anderson et al. 1998), Monteverde Biological Reserve (Costa Rica) and La Amistad International Park (Costa Rica and Panama) (Angehr and Jordán 1998). Non-breeding sites include Indio-Maiz Biological Reserve (Nicaragua [C. J. Sharpe in litt. 1999]; and presumably adjacent Barra del Colorado Faunal Refuge and Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica), Corcovado National Park (Costa Rica), San San Pond Sak Wetlands Ramsar Site and Coiba Island National Park (Panama) (Angehr and Jordán 1998). Its complex seasonal movements have been studied in Costa Rica (Powell and Bjork 2004).

Conservation Actions Proposed
Survey to delineate range and numbers, particularly outside Costa Rica (C. J. Sharpe in litt. 1999). Further study the ecology, especially seasonal movements (C. J. Sharpe in litt. 1999). Confirm breeding status and range in Honduras. Designate new protected areas, especially in the moist Pacific slope and lowlands of Costa Rica. Ensure the protection of Indio-Maiz Reserve, Nicaragua.

Bibliography [top]

	Anderson, D. L.; Bonta, M.; Thorn, P. 1998. New and noteworthy bird records from Honduras. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 118: 178-183. Angehr, G. R.; Jordan, O. 1998. Report on the Panama Important Bird Areas program. Panama Audubon Society/BirdLife International, Ancon, Panamá. Howell, S. N. G.; Webb, S. 1995. A guide to the birds of Mexico and northern Central America. Oxford University Press, Oxford. IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2012.1). Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 19 June 2012). Monroe, B. L. 1968. A distributional survey of the birds of Honduras. American Ornithologists' Union, Anchorage, Kentucky. Powell, G.V.N.; Bjork, R.D. 2004. Habitat linkages and the conservation of tropical biodiversity as indicated by seasonal migrations of Three-wattled Bellbirds. Conservation Biology 18: 500-509. Powell, G. V. N.; Bjork, R.; Montero, S.; Aleman, U. 1995. Intratropical migration by Ara ambigua: identifying habitat heterogeneity and linkages to protect biodiversity in lowland tropical wet forest of Central America. Ridgely, R. S.; Gwynne, J. A. 1989. A guide to the birds of Panama with Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras. Princeton University Press, Princeton. Stiles, F. G.; Skutch, A. F. 1989. A guide to the birds of Costa Rica. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY. Vallely, A. C.; Gallardo, R. J.; Ascher, J. S. 2010. Notes on the birds of the Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve, including four new species for Honduras. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 130(1): 52-60.

Anderson, D. L.; Bonta, M.; Thorn, P. 1998. New and noteworthy bird records from Honduras. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 118: 178-183.

Angehr, G. R.; Jordan, O. 1998. Report on the Panama Important Bird Areas program. Panama Audubon Society/BirdLife International, Ancon, Panamá.

Howell, S. N. G.; Webb, S. 1995. A guide to the birds of Mexico and northern Central America. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

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

Monroe, B. L. 1968. A distributional survey of the birds of Honduras. American Ornithologists' Union, Anchorage, Kentucky.

Powell, G.V.N.; Bjork, R.D. 2004. Habitat linkages and the conservation of tropical biodiversity as indicated by seasonal migrations of Three-wattled Bellbirds. Conservation Biology 18: 500-509.

Powell, G. V. N.; Bjork, R.; Montero, S.; Aleman, U. 1995. Intratropical migration by Ara ambigua: identifying habitat heterogeneity and linkages to protect biodiversity in lowland tropical wet forest of Central America.

Ridgely, R. S.; Gwynne, J. A. 1989. A guide to the birds of Panama with Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras. Princeton University Press, Princeton.

Stiles, F. G.; Skutch, A. F. 1989. A guide to the birds of Costa Rica. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY.

Vallely, A. C.; Gallardo, R. J.; Ascher, J. S. 2010. Notes on the birds of the Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve, including four new species for Honduras. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 130(1): 52-60.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2012. Procnias tricarunculatus. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 23 May 2013.
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