Justification This species is listed as Near Threatened, as it has a moderately small population which is suspected to be declining owing to habitat loss. These declines are predicted to continue into the future, unless remedial conservation measures are taken.

Family/Sub-family Rhinocryptidae

Species name author Lesson, 1831

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

Identification

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

unknown

decreasing

164,000 km²

Yes

Range & population Merulaxis ater occurs in south Bahia (one 19th century record), Espírito Santo (few records), Rio de Janeiro, east São Paulo, east Paraná and east Santa Catarina (two records), south-east Brazil.

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

Ecology: This species is uncommon to locally relatively common in thickets within montane and lowland evergreen forest and mature secondary woodland, typically at 800-1,800 m but locally to 100 m^4,5,6, although it is almost entirely montane in Espírito Santo and Rio de Janeiro^6,7.

Threats Agricultural conversion and deforestation for mining and plantation production historically threatened its lowland forests. Current key threats are urbanisation, industrialisation, agricultural expansion, colonisation and associated road-building^1,2. Its montane forests have suffered less destruction, but isolated forests in the north of its range have virtually disappeared due to the expansion of pasture and cultivation, and remaining patches are under pressure from clearance and fires spreading from cultivated areas³.

Conservation measures proposed Ensure that remaining areas of suitable habitat receive adequate protection. Repeat surveys of known sites to determine rates of range contraction and population trends.

References 1. Dinerstein et al. (1995). 2. Fearnside (1996). 3. Gonzaga et al. (1995). 4. Naka et al. (in prep.). 5. Parker et al. (1996). 6. Ridgely and Tudor (1994). 7. Sick (1993).

Text account compilers Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), James Gilroy (BirdLife International), Andrew O'Brien (BirdLife International)

IUCN Red List evaluators Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), James Gilroy (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Merulaxis ater. 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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