Fringe-backed Fire-eye (Pyriglena atra) - BirdLife species factsheet

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EN	Fringe-backed Fire-eye Pyriglena atra

2010 IUCN Red List Category (as evaluated by BirdLife International - the official Red List Authority for birds for IUCN): Endangered

Justification This species qualifies as Endangered as it has a very small fragmented range, within which the extent and quality of its habitat are continuing to decline, and where it is only known from a few locations.

Family/Sub-family Thamnophilidae

Species name author (Swainson, 1825)

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

Identification 17.5 cm. Red-eyed antbird. Male uniformly black. White dorsal patch formed by white bases to feathers, black subterminal band and broad, white fringes. Female rufous-brown above. Blackish tail. Grey-based interscapular feathers. Dull buffy-brown underparts with whitish throat. Similar spp. Both sexes similar to other Pyriglena fire-eyes, but none occurs sympatrically. Males can be distinguished by pattern of interscapular patch and alarm calls. Voice Song is series of slightly descending, whistled fíu notes, similar to other Pyriglena spp. Alarm call, a loud, prolonged, chipping peerit, rising at end.

Population estimate	Population trend	Range estimate (breeding/resident)	Country endemic?
1,000-2,499	decreasing	5,000 km²	Yes

Range & population Pyriglena atra is known from the narrow belt of Atlantic forest in the vicinity of Salvador, coastal Bahia (west of the town of Santo Amaro), including forest patches along the "Linha Verde" highway, from Saubara north to southern Sergipe (in the vicinity of Crasto and Santa Luzia de Itanhi^1,2,3,4,7), Brazil. Recent fieldwork has shown that this distribution is not as disjunct as previously thought, as the species occurs in the remaining forest and secondary-growth patches along the northern coast of Bahia at Conde and Jandaíra⁶. Substantial habitat loss must have significantly reduced the population, but its preference for dense secondary growth means its range, whilst still small, is likely to have been underestimated.

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 tangled undergrowth of lowland forest, where it appears to favour second growth and other semi-open habitats with horizontal perches near the ground. In 1974, the species was very common at Santo Amaro in tall second growth, uncommon in tall forest, and rare in patches of second growth where most of the undergrowth had been removed⁵. It has been found in fragments of around 50 ha, but disappeared with two years when one area was reduced from 150-200 ha to 400 ha⁷. It is found in pairs and small groups of up to 26, rarely joining mixed-species flocks, but regularly following army-ant swarms. Breeding appears to occur between October and March. 20-250 m asl

Threats Habitat loss within its known range has been substantial, even of the second growth in which it appears to be most abundant. It has been reported more frequently from larger forest fragments⁷, and remaining tracts are destined to become ever smaller and more isolated.

Conservation measures underway It is protected under Brazilian law.

Conservation measures proposed Protect the patches of forest at localities in the vicinity of Santa Luzia de Itanhi. Survey all suitable habitat within range to establish occurrence. Investigate its ecological requirements.

References Collar et al. (1992). 1. J. Mazar Barnett in litt. (2000). 2. J. Minns in litt. (1998). 3. Pacheco and Whitney (1995). 4. B. M. Whitney in litt. (1999). 5. Willis and Oniki (1982). 6. Souza (2002). 7. S. Sampaio in litt. (2003, 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 Phil Benstead (BirdLife International), Rob P Clay (BirdLife International), Matt Harding (BirdLife International), Juan Mazar Barnett (Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales), Andy Symes (BirdLife International), Rob Williams (BirdLife International)

Contributors Juan Mazar Barnett (Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales), Jeremy Minns, Sidnei Sampaio, Bret Whitney (Louisiana State University)

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

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2010) Species factsheet: Pyriglena atra. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 6/9/2010

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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