Eriocnemis isabellae

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	APODIFORMES	TROCHILIDAE

Scientific Name:

Eriocnemis isabellae

Species Authority:

Cortes-Diago et al., 2007

Common Name/s:

English

–

Gorgeted Puffleg

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Critically Endangered B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii) ver 3.1

Year Published:

2012

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Butchart, S. & Symes, A.

Contributor/s:

Cortes, O. & Salaman, P.

Justification:
This recently described species qualifies as Critically Endangered because it is known from a single location and has an extremely small Area of Occupancy within which habitat quality is continuing to decline owing to conversion for agriculture (particularly coca cultivation).

History:

2010	–	Critically Endangered
2009	–	Critically Endangered
2008	–	Not Recognized
2004	–	Not Recognized
2000	–	Not Recognized
1994	–	Not Recognized
1988	–	Not Recognized

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Eriocnemis isabellae has been recently described from Cauca Department, south-west Colombia, where it occurs in a tiny area of the Serranía del Pinche (Cortés-Diago et al. 2007). Three birds (one male and two females) were mist-netted in 2005 and a total of six further males were caught in 2006 (Cortés-Diago et al. 2007). The global population has not been quantified but is presumably very small given that the area of suitable habitat is thought to be less than 10 km², and it is suspected to be decreasing as elfin forest habitat is converted for agriculture and illegal coca plantations.
Countries:	Native: Colombia
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	The population has not been quantified, but it is presumably very small given that the area of suitable habitat is thought to be less than 10 km².
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It inhabits the cloud and temperate forest zone, within which the species appears to be associated with elfin forest on steep slopes along mountain ridges (Cortés-Diago et al. 2007). Elfin forest at the type locality averages 6-8 m in height with frequent natural clearings and is found at around 2,600-2,900 m (Cortés-Diago et al. 2007).
Systems:

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The primary threat is the shifting of the agricultural border towards remaining primary forests, causing a loss of vegetation cover, contamination of watersheds and soil degradation (Cortés-Diago et al. 2007). Illegal coca cultivation is a major threat due to the lack of governmental presence, with 8.3 % of potentially suitable habitat reportedly damaged annually by coca cultivation. The potential completion of a road from El Estrecho in the PatíaValley to Guapi on the Pacific coast would hold serious implications for Serraníadel Pinche (Cortés-Diago et al. 2007).

Major Threat(s):

The primary threat is the shifting of the agricultural border towards remaining primary forests, causing a loss of vegetation cover, contamination of watersheds and soil degradation (Cortés-Diago et al. 2007). Illegal coca cultivation is a major threat due to the lack of governmental presence, with 8.3 % of potentially suitable habitat reportedly damaged annually by coca cultivation. The potential completion of a road from El Estrecho in the PatíaValley to Guapi on the Pacific coast would hold serious implications for Serraníadel Pinche (Cortés-Diago et al. 2007).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway There is an ongoing conservation plan involving local authorities, community leaders, Ministry of Environment, The Hummingbird Conservancy, Ecohabitats foundation and local residents. Conservation Actions Proposed Carry out further studies to determine status and population size. Develop a Species Action Plan. Continue and extend local conservation and education initiatives. Work towards the creation of a protected area in the Serraníadel Pinche.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
There is an ongoing conservation plan involving local authorities, community leaders, Ministry of Environment, The Hummingbird Conservancy, Ecohabitats foundation and local residents.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Carry out further studies to determine status and population size. Develop a Species Action Plan. Continue and extend local conservation and education initiatives. Work towards the creation of a protected area in the Serraníadel Pinche.

Bibliography [top]

	Cortés-Diago, A.; Ortega, L. A.; Mazariegos-Hurtado, L.; Weller, A.-A. 2007. A new species of Eriocnemis (Trochilidae) from southwest Colombia. Ornitologia Neotropical 18(2): 161-170. IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2012.1). Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 19 June 2012).

Cortés-Diago, A.; Ortega, L. A.; Mazariegos-Hurtado, L.; Weller, A.-A. 2007. A new species of Eriocnemis (Trochilidae) from southwest Colombia. Ornitologia Neotropical 18(2): 161-170.

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

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