Justification This species qualifies as Critically Endangered because its tiny population, known from just one locality in the 1990s following over 100 years without a confirmed record,, is likely to be continuing to decline owing to extensive habitat loss and fragmentation within its tiny range.

Family/Sub-family Cotingidae

Species name author (Vieillot, 1818)

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

Identification 8 cm. Minute, yellowish cotinga. Bright yellowish-olive above. Yellow forehead and rump. Very short tail and dusky wings, the latter with two white wing-bars and tip to tertials. Bright yellow below with olive wash on breast. Long red feathers of the mid-crown, surrounded by black, often raised to form crest. Voice Sharp notes have been reported.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

<50

decreasing

3 km²

Yes

Range & population Calyptura cristata has apparently declined to near-extinction within a very restricted range to the north of Rio de Janeiro city, Brazil. From the evidence of skins and one sight record, it was not uncommon, even in secondary habitat, in the mid-19th century. However, although there have been several rumours and unverified reports, the species was unrecorded during the 20th century until two birds were observed in the Serra dos Órgãos on several days in October 1996². Despite much searching, there have been no reliable records of the species since 1996 despite searches in the Reserva Ecologica Guapiaçu, the Teresopolis area, the foothills of the Serra do Mar, Ubatuba and between Nova Friburgo and Soumidoura in September to November 2006, which investigated several unconfirmed reports^4,5.

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

Ecology: It is apparently restricted to foothill forest, but tolerates secondary habitats, and the 1996 birds were in secondary growth⁵. However, secondary growth supports far fewer epiphytic plants and bromeliads which retain quantities of suspended water that significantly alters the microclimate within a forest; hence large areas of secondary forest may be unsuitable for the species⁵. Seasonal altitudinal movements are suspected, which might explain the lack of post-1996 records in the Serra dos Órgãos. This tiny, inconspicuous species is probably easily overlooked, perching in the canopy where it actively explores clumps of bromeliads, apparently avoiding treetops. It has been recorded eating fruit, seeds and insects, though the 1996 sightings suggest that it may specialise on mistletoe¹.

Threats Deforestation appears to have brought this species to the brink of extinction - historically driven by gold and diamond mining and the creation of coffee plantations in areas where the species was initially collected⁵. If it is an altitudinal migrant, the lack of remaining forest below 1,000 m is likely to be a particular threat. Development within forest around the edges of the Serra dos Órgãos National Park, particularly at the site of the 1996 rediscovery, is concerning¹. The harvesting of bromeliads, mistletoes and orchids from the forest of the region may further threaten the species by reducing food supply, but also by altering habitat structure and microclimate⁵.

Conservation measures underway It is protected by Brazilian law. The sightings in 1996 were on the edge of the Serra dos Órgãos National Park. Some areas of apparently suitable habitat are protected within the park, and there are adjacent tracts of forest to elevations of c.50 m. Suitable habitat also occurs within the Reserva Ecologica Guapiaçu⁵.

Conservation measures proposed Develop and follow a standardised survey protocol involving focal watches at suitable fruiting trees, focusing particularly in suitable habitat in the Serra dos Órgãos including the Reserva Ecologica Guapiaçu, and in the Serra do Mar near Ubatuba^3,5. Protect all remaining low-altitude forest in the vicinity of the rediscovery site.

References Collar et al. (1992). 1. C. E. Carvalho verbally (1998). 2. Pacheco and Fonseca (2001). 3. Ridgely and Tudor (1994). 4. F. Olmos in litt. (2003). 5. Lambert (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 Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), David Capper (BirdLife International), Rob P Clay (Guyra Paraguay), Simon Mahood (BirdLife International), Rob Pople (BirdLife International - European Division), Rob Pople (BirdLife International), Andy Symes (BirdLife International), Martin Williams, Rob Williams (BirdLife International)

Contributors Frank Lambert, Fabio Olmos

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

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Calyptura cristata. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 9/2/2010

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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