Hook-billed Hermit (Glaucis dohrnii) - BirdLife species factsheet

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EN	Hook-billed Hermit Glaucis dohrnii

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 owing to the massive deforestation throughout its range which has reduced it to a few fragmented subpopulations likely to be declining as a result of continued habitat loss.

Family/Sub-family Trochilidae

Species name author (Bourcier & Mulsant, 1852)

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

Synonyms Ramphodon dohrnii Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)

Identification 12 cm. Dull coloured hermit hummingbird. Greenish-bronze upperparts. Cinnamon underparts. White supercilium and malar, with dusky face and lower border to malar. Metallic bronze tail with outer rectrices tipped white. Almost straight bill with whitish mandible. Similar spp. Saw-billed Hermit Ramphodon naevius is larger with bold streaks on underparts. Rufous-breasted Hermit Glaucis hirsuta has slightly decurved bill, rufous base to outer four rectrices and black subterminal tail-band. Voice Descending high-pitched phrase.

Population estimate	Population trend	Range estimate (breeding/resident)	Country endemic?
250-999	decreasing	490 km²	Yes

Range & population Glaucis dohrnii occurs in east Brazil, where it is known from a few widely scattered localities in Bahia and Espírito Santo. There are historical sight records from extreme east Minas Gerais where its occurrence is supported by records from adjacent Espírito Santo. Rio de Janeiro has been included in the species's published range based on a specimen labelled Rio de Janeiro. In Bahia, there are recent reports from only three sites: Estação Veracruz (formerly the CVRD Porto Seguro Reserve², where it was found relatively frequently during 1993-1997⁴), Monte Pascoal National Park (a few recent records^1,3), and adjacent to Serra de Itamaruja (one in July 1993³). In Espírito Santo, there is just one recent record (in 1988), from Linhares Forest Reserve, but it has not been seen subsequently. Possible records of birds at two further sites (Bralanda and Barrolândia) are being verified⁴. It is likely that the species has never been common, but it has undoubtedly declined significantly in numbers and distribution.

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

Ecology: It occurs humid forest, particularly along streambeds with flowering Heliconia. It is generally seen in the forest interior, but has been recorded visiting ornamental flowers in areas adjacent to forest. It is reported to breed from September to February.

Threats The lowland forests of east Brazil have been fragmented and destroyed, and this is considered to be the principal cause of its decline. Although there are recent records from two reserves, these are under pressure from settlers, suffer from fire and road construction and generally provide inadequate protection. Perhaps most importantly, they protect few watercourses and consequently little suitable habitat for this species. The new owners of Estação Veracruz have apparently abandoned plans to clear the forest².

Conservation measures underway CITES Appendix I and II. It is protected under Brazilian law and survives in Monte Pascoal National Park, Bahia, and Linhares Forest Reserve, Espírito Santo.

Conservation measures proposed Assess its current status at Monte Pascoal National Park, Linhares Forest Reserve and Córrego Grande Biological Reserve. Survey historical localities and other areas of suitable habitat. Study its ecological requirements. Promote the continued protection of forest at Estação Veracruz and existing reserves where the species occurs.

References Collar et al. (1992). 1. G. M. Kirwan in litt. (2000). 2. F. Olmos in litt. (1999). 3. Y. Oniki in litt. (1993). 4. E. O. Willis and Y. Oniki in litt. (1999).

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), David Capper (BirdLife International), Rob P Clay (BirdLife International), Andy Symes (BirdLife International), Rob Williams (BirdLife International)

Contributors G. M. Kirwan, Fabio Olmos, Y. Oniki, E. O. Willis

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

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2010) Species factsheet: Glaucis dohrnii. 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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