Justification This species is listed as Vulnerable because clearance and fragmentation of forest at middle elevations, mainly in the Central Mountains and Tilarán Mountains of Costa Rica, are likely to be causing significant declines in its small range and (presumably) population.

Family/Sub-family Psittacidae

Species name author (Cory, 1913)

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

Identification 17.5 cm. Bright green parrot with bright red forehead to mid-crown, lores and area below eye. Bronze tinge to nape. Yellowish throat. Red leading edge of wing and wing-coverts. Dusky flight feathers edged green. Paler green below. Green, square tail edged yellow on outer rectrices and narrow black apical band. Red restricted in female. Voice Harsh and high-pitched tuiiit calls.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

2,500-9,999

decreasing

10,000 km²

No

Range & population Touit costaricensis occurs on the Caribbean slope and locally on upper Pacific slopes of Costa Rica and west Panama^6,7. It is known from middle to high elevations in the Tilarán, Central Volcanic and Talamanca Mountain ranges in Costa Rica and south to Santa Clara, above Boquete, Cocoplum, Isla Popa and from both slopes in the Fortuna area, Panama^2,6,7. There are few records from south-eastern lowlands in Costa Rica or Panama, but it occurs continuously along the Cordillera de Talamanca (mainly on the Caribbean slope)⁷. In Panama, there is an outlying sight record from El Copé, Coclé, in 1986⁶. It is evidently uncommon and local, but perhaps somewhat overlooked, especially in the poorly known south of its range^6,7. The breeding population in the Important Bird Areas of Costa Rica is estimated at 1,000-4,000 mature individuals^9,10.

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

Ecology: It probably breeds in the dry season in very wet montane forest at elevations of 700-1500 m¹⁰. The species is a daily altitudinal migrant⁹. Outside the breeding season it is also recorded in highlands up to 3,000 m⁷. It may occasionally occur in lowland humid forest at 200-500 m and rarely to sea-level especially in south-eastern Costa Rica⁷. It is occasionally found in patchy secondary growth, and feeds on fruits from trees and epiphytes, including melastomes and ericads such as Cavendishia and Clusia⁷.

Threats The level of habitat fragmentation in the species's range is judged to be moderate⁹. The widespread destruction of its foothill and highland forests is primarily the result of burning, small-scale logging operations and other conversion for intensive agricultural use^4,10,11. In Panama, deforestation is also taking place for urban and tourism development in highlands¹¹. Virtually all remaining highland forest in Costa Rica is confined to existing protected areas⁷. This species does not depend on lowland forests⁹, but widespread forest clearance in south-eastern Costa Rica is likely to be affecting this species in the wet season⁸. There are no reports of captive birds and it is apparently not traded³.

Conservation measures underway CITES Appendix II. It occurs in several protected areas, notably Braulio Carrillo, Tapantí-Cerro de la Muerte National Parks and Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve, Costa Rica, and La Amistad International Park and adjacent reserves in both countries. However, legal protection of Palo Seco Protection Forest (a large reserve in Panama adjacent to La Amistad) has not prevented clearance for agriculture¹.

Conservation measures proposed Evaluate the importance of habitats outside breeding season^9,10. Conduct surveys to determine its total population size. Study the species's ecology¹⁰. Monitor population trends through regular surveys. Monitor rates of forest loss and recovery¹⁰. Effectively protect Palo Seco Protection Forest.

References 1. Angehr and Jordán (1998). 2. G. R. Angehr in litt. (1998). 3. Collar (1997a). 4. Dinerstein et al. (1995). 5. IUCN (1992). 6. Ridgely and Gwynne (1989). 7. Stiles and Skutch (1989). 8. F. G. Stiles in litt. (1999). 9. J. Criado in litt. (2007). 10. J. Sanchez et al. in litt. (2007). 11. G. R. Angehr in litt. (2007).

Text account compilers Phil Benstead (BirdLife International), David Capper (BirdLife International), Tom Stuart (BirdLife International), Joe Taylor (BirdLife International)

Contributors George Angehr (Panama Audubon Society), Esteban Biamonte (Unión de Ornitólogos de Costa Rica), Juan Criado (Unión de Ornitólogos de Costa Rica), Richard Garrigues, César Sánchez (Unión de Ornitólogos de Costa Rica), Julio E. Sánchez (Unión de Ornitólogos de Costa Rica), Luis Sandoval (Unión de Ornitólogos de Costa Rica), F. Gary Stiles (Universidad Nacional de Colombia), Jim Zook (Unión de Ornitólogos de Costa Rica)

IUCN Red List evaluators Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Joe Taylor (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Touit costaricensis. 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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