Justification This species is listed as Endangered because it has a very small and severely fragmented range and population. It is known from eight sites, but habitat at several of these is rapidly disappearing.

Family/Sub-family Thamnophilidae

Species name author Teixeira & Gonzaga, 1983

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

Identification 10 cm. Small, brightly coloured antwren. Male mostly black above, with white streaking on head, nape and mantle. Whitish face and auriculars, streaked black. Black moustachial stripe. Blackish wings and tail. Faint whitish wing-bars and edgings. White underparts with black stripes on sides of breast. Female has blackish crown, streaked white. Rest of upperparts rufous. Rich orange-rufous underparts, with paler, more buffy throat. Black stripes on sides of breast. Voice Soft, uniform trill lasting 3-4 seconds, and fast, repeated call, tzí-de-de-de tzí-de-de-de.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

250-999

decreasing

130 km²

Yes

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

Ecology: It inhabits the upper strata of upland humid forest at 400-700 m. Despite occurring in forests that have suffered severe selective logging, it is not present in degraded secondary growth. It is usually seen following mixed-species flocks, even during the breeding season, but isolated pairs have been observed. The diet includes insects such as beetles and cockroaches. Breeding probably occurs from November-February. A nest has been found in the dense foliage of a middle-stratum tree, c.10-12 m above the ground.

Threats There has been massive clearance of Atlantic forest in Alagoas and Pernambuco, largely as a result of logging and conversion to sugarcane plantations and pastureland. Forest at Murici has been reduced from 70 km² in the 1970s, to a mere 30 km² of highly disturbed and fragmented habitat in 1999¹. The site is severely threatened by fires spreading from adjacent plantations and further logging (new roads were evident in January 1999)^1,3. There is significant (and largely unsurveyed) forest remaining at Usina Serra Grande³, but the current condition of forest at Água Azul and in Novo Lino is unknown.

Conservation measures underway It is protected under Brazilian law, and occurs in Pedra Talhada Biological Reserve, where significant areas are being reforested with native trees². Protection at this reserve is enforced by guards and apparently welcomed by local communities². Although land at Murici remains privately-owned and vulnerable to clearance, international efforts to effect its conservation are ongoing². Frei Caneca is a private reserve protecting 630 ha of forest⁴.

Conservation measures proposed Survey Novo Lino and any other remnant patches of habitat in Alagoas and Pernambuco to ascertain the species's presence, and identify suitable areas for conservation action. Ensure the de facto protection of Murici Ecological Station, and protect Mata do Estado and Pedra Dantas⁶. Continue the reforestation programme and de facto protection at Pedra Talhada.

References Collar et al. (1992). 1. J. M. Goerck in litt. (1999). 2. A. Studer per A. Whittaker in litt. (1999). 3. A. Whittaker in litt. (1999). 4. Cotinga (2003) 20:13. 5. Roda et al. (2003). 6. S. Roda in litt. (2007).

Further web sources of information

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), Rob Pople (BirdLife International - European Division), Andy Symes (BirdLife International)

Contributors Sonia Roda, A Studer, A Whittaker

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

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2010) Species factsheet: Terenura sicki. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 30/7/2010

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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