Justification This species has a very small and severely fragmented range, with recent records from four locations. Remaining habitat is subject to rapid and continuing destruction and degradation. It is therefore listed as Endangered.

Family/Sub-family Cotingidae

Species name author Taczanowski, 1883

Taxonomic source(s) SACC (2005 + updates), Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993), Stotz et al. (1996)

Identification 18.5 cm. Distinctive bird with rounded bill. Male is dull ashy-grey above with some striping on crown and back. Duskier wings and tail, with broad, whitish wing-bar and some fringing on tertials. White tips to rectrices. Underparts pale ashy grey, except broad cinnamon-rufous band from mid-breast to mid-belly. Cinnamon-rufous spot above bill and crissum. Yellowish iris. Female has buffy-brown back, broadly striped blackish. Whitish underparts, heavily striped dark brown. Less obvious white on wing. Voice Reported similar to White-tipped Plantcutter P. rutila, raspy and mechanical-sounding wree wree-wree.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

500 - 1,000

decreasing

4,900 km²

Yes

Range & population Phytotoma raimondii occurs in coastal north Peru, where it was formerly known from numerous localities from possibly as far north as Tumbes (type specimen listed from here) south to Lima. Recently, there have been records from at least 27 sites in Piura, Lambayeque, La Libertad, Cajamarca and Ancash^1,2,3,4, with the majority of sites in the former three departments⁴. The stronghold is now believed to be around Talara, particularly to the east and south-east of the town, where the local population is estimated to be 400-600 individuals². The sanctuary at Bosque de Pomác historical site in Lambayeque may be a stronghold, holding around 30 pairs in 800 ha of suitable habitat^4,5. The well-known site at Rafán^1,3 may support some of the highest population densities - at least 10 birds were observed in 1.5 hours in 1999³ - but there was as little as 100 ha of suitable habitat in 1998 and high pressure from logging since then will undoubtedly have reduced suitable habitat yet further⁴.

Important Bird Areas Click here to view map showing IBAs where species is recorded and triggers any of the IBA criteria.

Ecology: It occurs up to 550 m in desert scrub, riparian thicket and low (dense and open¹) woodland, usually dominated by Prosopis trees, with some Acacia. A shrub layer of Capparis and/or Maytenus is apparently required in areas with Cucurbita and an unidentified yellow Compistaceae. It feeds on leaves of Prosopis and shrubs, and fruit¹. It is thought to breed between December-January².

Threats The near-complete conversion of coastal river valleys to cultivation has extirpated the species from numerous localities¹. Grazing by goats and burning have removed or heavily degraded the shrub layer in many remaining woodlands¹. Illegal subsistence (and apparently commercial) logging for firewood and charcoal are now highly significant factors¹, and the roots of older Prosopis tree are also used in wooden art craft³. Land rights to part of Murales forest were sold for agricultural conversion in 1999². A considerable proportion of habitat close to Rafán is degraded, and parts of this area were converted to sugar production in the 1990s¹.

Conservation measures underway Murales forest is protected as an Archeological Reserved Zone and strict wardening has maintained habitat. However, government intervention has been necessary to prevent further sales of land for agricultural conversion^1,2. A "Save the Algarrobo" (Prosopis) campaign, including regeneration of grazed areas and replanting, is supported by the sugarcane producer at Rafán¹. Searches for the species have been made at all historical localities, and many other remnant forests have been surveyed^1,2,3.

Conservation measures proposed Monitor population trends through regular surveys. Monitor rates of habitat loss and degradation within the species's range. Ensure the integrity of Murales forest and improve legal protection¹. Effectively protect forest in the Rafán area. Initiate environmental education and ecotourism at Rafán¹. Work with oil companies in the Talara region to protect the extensive tracts of habitat¹.

References Collar et al. (1992). 1. G. Engblom in litt. (1998, 1999, 2000). 2. Flanagan and Chávez Villavicencio (2000). 3. Begazo et al. (2001). 4. Flanagan et al. in prep. 5. H. Lloyd in litt. (2007).

Further web sources of information

Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) species/site profile. This species has been identified as an AZE trigger due to its IUCN Red List status and limited range.

Fully detailed species account from the Threatened birds of the Americas: the BirdLife International Red Data Book (BirdLife International 1992). Please note, taxonomic treatment and IUCN Red List category may have changed since publication.

Recuento detallado de la especie tomado del libro Aves Amenazadas de las Americas, Libro Rojo de BirdLife International (BirdLife International 1992). Nota: la taxonomoía y la categoría de la Lista Roja de la UICN pudo haber cambiado desde esta publicación.

Text account compilers David Capper (BirdLife International), Isabel Isherwood (BirdLife International), Rob Pople (BirdLife International), Tom Stuart (BirdLife International), Andy Symes (BirdLife International)

Contributors Gunnar Engblom (Kolibri Expeditions), Jeremy Flanagan (ProAvesPerú), Huw Lloyd (Manchester Metropolitan University)

IUCN Red List evaluators Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Andy Symes (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Phytotoma raimondii. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 10/2/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

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