Dendroica angelae
– Vulnerable
Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
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ANIMALIA
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Phylum:
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CHORDATA
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Class:
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AVES
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Order:
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PASSERIFORMES
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Family:
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PARULIDAE
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Scientific Name:
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Dendroica angelae
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Species Authority:
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Keplar & Parkes, 1972
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Common Name/s:
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| English | — | ELFIN-WOODS WARBLER |
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Assessment Information
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Red List Category & Criteria:
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VU D1+2 ver 3.1 (2001)
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Year Assessed:
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2004
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Assessor/s:
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BirdLife International
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Evaluator/s:
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Capper, D., Wege, D. & Pople, R. (BirdLife International Red List Authority)
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Justification:
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There are no direct or immediate threats, but the combination of a very small range and population may have important implications for its chances of long-term survival, and this species consequently qualifies as Vulnerable.
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History:
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| 1988 | - | Lower Risk/least concern (BirdLife International 2004) |
| 1994 | - | Lower Risk/near threatened (Collar, Crosby and Stattersfield 1994) |
| 2000 | - | Vulnerable (BirdLife International 2000) |
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Geographic Range
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Range Description:
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Dendroica angelae was only discovered in 1971 and is endemic to Puerto Rico (to USA)3. It is uncommon and local at four disjunct localities: in the east, the Sierra de Luquillo (Caribbean National Forest) and the Sierra de Cayey (Carite State Forest) and, in the west, the Cordillera Central (Maricao and Toro Negro Commonwealth Forests). The population is currently estimated at no more than c.300 pairs2, but it is likely to occur in other parts of the Cordillera Central1.
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Countries:
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Native:
Puerto Rico
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Population
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Population Trend:
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Habitat and Ecology
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Habitat and Ecology:
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It inhabits elfin or montane dwarf forest on ridges and summits, montane wet forest, and sometimes ranges to lower-elevation wet forest at 370-1,030 m 1,4. Preferred areas have a dense canopy with vines, high subcanopy and sparse understorey2,4. It occurs at highest densities in undisturbed forest, but has been recorded in secondary habitats1. Breeding takes place in March-June, and the nest is built in aerial leaf-litter trapped in vegetation or vines, usually close to the trunk2,4.
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System:
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Terrestrial
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Threats
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Threats:
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By the late 1940s, the natural vegetation of Puerto Rico had been reduced to c.6% of the island's land surface, but rapid regeneration of forest increased this figure to 31% in the early 1980s, a change which will probably benefit this species1. Natural disasters will continue to be a threat while the species's population and range remain so small.
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Conservation Actions
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Conservation Actions:
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Conservation measures underway:
All four known areas are protected, and the species is probably secure as long as suitable habitat is maintained in these reserves1.
Conservation measures proposed:
Assess the current distribution (especially by surveying away from known sites) and population. Research factors limiting range and population.
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