Justification This species qualifies as Endangered because it is undergoing a very rapid population decline as a result of trapping for the cagebird trade. Its population is now severely fragmented in much of its historic range, although the recent discovery of a new population in Guyana has resulted in a revision of its overall population size.

Family/Sub-family Fringillidae

Species name author Swainson, 1820

Taxonomic source(s) AOU checklist (1998 + supplements), SACC (2005 + updates), Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993), Stotz et al. (1996)

Identification 10 cm. Small, red-and-black finch. Male red with black head, bib and tail. Black wings with broad red bar across flight feathers. Female mainly brown, but more dusky on wings and tail. Red rump, wing-bars and primary bases. Red wash to flanks, but otherwise greyish below. Voice Song a twittering series of trills and chatters. Raspy jut-jut call.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

2,500-9,999

decreasing

11,300 km²

No

Range & population Carduelis cucullata was common in the early 20th century but has become extremely rare in a now fragmented range. It once occurred throughout the foothills of northern Venezuela (15 states), but recent sightings are restricted to just four states^1,2,5. It has disappeared from Trinidad, where it was never anything other than rare, and a small population persists in Norte de Santander, Colombia, where a record in February 2000³ was apparently the first since 1986. A population in Puerto Rico (to USA), derived from escaped cage-birds, has undergone a marked decline and there are very few recent records^2,4. In 2000, a new population was discovered in southwestern Guyana, c.950 km from the nearest Venezuelan locality, is estimated to number in the low hundreds to low thousands^{6, 8}. The remaining population elsewhere has been estimated in the high hundreds or low thousands, but the paucity of recent records indicates that this may be an overestimate.

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

Ecology: It is found between 100-1,300 m, moving semi-nomadically and altitudinally (seasonally and daily) between moist evergreen forest, dry deciduous woodland and associated edge habitats, shrubby grassland and pastures. The main breeding period is from April to early June, with a secondary period in November and December. The nest is placed in clumps of Tillandsia bromeliads in tall trees and, in Guyana, in dense terminal clusters of leaves in the crown of Curatella trees⁶. Breeding territories in Guyana were densely packed, apparently due to a superabundance of fruiting mistletoe⁶. The diet also includes fruit (e.g. Ficus spp.), flower buds, and seeds of grasses and herbaceous plants⁶.

Threats It is subject to enormous, long-term (and since the 1940s, illegal) pressure from trappers, primarily because of its capacity to hybridise with canaries. Although trappers are active in the area of the Guyanese population, they claim that there is no active market for the species⁶. Intensive agriculture continues to reduce the extent of available habitat. Captive-breeding programmes are hampered by disease and hybrid stock².

Conservation measures underway CITES Appendix I. It is legally protected in Venezuela, and has recently been declared legally protected in Guyana. The Environmental Protection Agency in Guyana has designated South Rupununi Conservation Society (SRCS) the lead agency for protection and conservation of the species. SRCS is currently conducting research on red siskins in partnership with members of local communities. Much of the known Guyanese range is on a cattle ranch, the managers of which are conservation-minded⁶. In Venezuela, it is reputed to have occurred in Guatopo and Terepaima National Parks but there have been no records for many years². A planned reintroduction project on Trinidad has been suspended because of disease problems². Some education and control programmes undertaken in the past have led to an increase in pressure from trade¹. A captive breeding project exists in the US⁷.

Conservation measures proposed Assess current status in national parks. Survey known range in Venezuela, Colombia and Puerto Rico, as well as intervening areas of suitable habitat. Coordinate captive-breeding efforts internationally. Raise public awareness. Develop an effective management plan to ensure the protection of the Guyanese population⁶.

References Collar et al. (1992). 1. Rodríguez and Rojas-Suárez (1995). 2. J. Clinton-Eitniear in litt. (2000). 3. López-Lanús (2000). 4. R. Perez Rivera per J. Clinton-Eitniear in litt. (2000). 5. C. J. Sharpe in litt. (2000). 6. Robbins et al. (2003). 7. American Federation of Aviculture (2003). 8. Janki, M. in litt. (2005).

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 James Gilroy (BirdLife International), Matt Harding (BirdLife International), Rob Pople (BirdLife International)

Contributors Jack Clinton Eitniear (The Center for the Study of Tropical Birds), Chris J. Sharpe

IUCN Red List evaluators Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), David Capper (BirdLife International), James Gilroy (BirdLife International), Rob Pople (BirdLife International), David Wege (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Carduelis cucullata. 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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