Justification This species has a very small and severely fragmented range and population, which is continuing to decline rapidly. It is consequently listed as Endangered.

Family/Sub-family Thamnophilidae

Species name author (Wied, 1831)

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

Identification 14.5 cm. Scaled antbird. Male is olive-brown above, greyer on crown. Feathers of mid-back tipped buff. Dark rufous rump and tail. Blackish wings with buffy wing-bars and rufous edging. Black cheeks, throat and breast. Grey fringing to rear of auriculars, sides of neck and chest. Broad grey tips to breast. Buffy belly. Female as male but white throat, whitish breast with black scalloping and spotting. Voice High-pitched and strident trill, slightly accelerating and falling in pitch. Also harsh chzíp call.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

1,000-2,499

decreasing

390 km²

Yes

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

Ecology: The nominate race frequents undergrowth close to the ground, often favouring the interior of tall drier forest near treefall gaps, where vegetation is characterised by an abundance of vines and small tree trunks. The race soror seems largely terrestrial, favouring light gaps and fairly open areas near dense cover in mature forest. It has been found in degraded second growth. A ground nest with two eggs has been found. Territories appear small (<1 ha) but well spaced. The race soror breeds following the heavy rains in midwinter, with nests having been found in September and October, although a nest has also been found in April, suggesting the species may lay two clutches within a single season⁸ The nominate race probably breeds in October-December.

Threats In the north-east, logging and clearance for sugarcane and pasturelands has reduced remaining forests to isolated and fragmented patches. Murici is severely threatened by logging and fires spreading from adjacent plantations⁵. Further south, little forest remains because of conversion to plantation agriculture^1,2.

Conservation measures underway It is protected under Brazilian law, occurs in Pedra Talhada and Sooretama Biological Reserves, and may persist at Saltinho and Córrego do Veado Biological Reserves, and Tapacurá and Serra dos Cavalos UFPE Ecological Stations. There is a reforestation scheme and active protection at Pedra Talhada⁴.

Conservation measures proposed Survey remnant habitat patches in the north-east, and Córrego do Veado. Designate Murici as a biological reserve and ensure its de facto protection. Effectively protect other forest fragments, especially in north-east Brazil. Continue conservation measures at Pedra Talhada. Investigate protecting the newly discovered site on the rio Mucuri.

References Collar et al. (1992). 1. Brown and Brown (1992). 2. Fearnside (1996). 3. Marini et al. (2003). 4. A. Studer per A. Whittaker in litt. (1999). 5. A. Whittaker in litt. (1999). 6. E. O. Willis in litt. (1999). 7. Roda et al. (2003). 8. Buzzetti and Barnett (2003).

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 Andre De Luca (SAVE Brasil), Pedro Develey (SAVE Brasil), A Studer, A Whittaker, E. O. Willis

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

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2010) Species factsheet: Myrmeciza ruficauda. 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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