Justification This species, the only one endemic to Honduras, qualifies as Critically Endangered owing to its extremely small and severely fragmented range, which is declining in response to habitat loss.

Family/Sub-family Trochilidae

Species name author (Lawrence, 1867)

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

Identification 9.5 cm. Medium-sized, green hummingbird. Male has glittering blue-green throat and upper chest, sometimes appearing grey, mottled dusky. Rest of underparts pale grey with mottled green sides. Bright green upperparts with bronzy tinge on uppertail-coverts. Bronze-green tail. Black bill with reddish mandible and dark tip. Female similar with less intense and more restricted gorget. Immature has greyish throat spotted turquoise. Voice Slightly metallic ticking repeated steadily. Also buzzy chatters.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

250-999

decreasing

12 km²

Yes

Range & population Amazilia luciae occurs in the arid interior valleys of Honduras, where it is currently known from three sites in the northeast and has recently been rediscovered in the west of the country. It was not recorded between 1950 and 1988, when it was found to be common at two sites, 16 km apart, near Olanchito and Coyoles in the upper río Aguán valley, Yoro. In 1991, 22-28 birds were found in 2.5 ha of habitat near Olanchito⁴. In 1996, it was found north-east of Gualaco in the Agalta valley, where there was less than 1 km² of suitable habitat¹. A previously unknown population was identified in the Valle de Telica, Olancho department in February 2007⁶. Surveys in November 2008 located the species in six forest fragments along a 33 km transect in Santa Bárbara department; the first records in the west of the country since 1935^7,8.

Ecology: It inhabits arid thorn-forest and scrub apparently at elevations up to 1,220 m. The thorn-forest near Coyoles is c.6-10 m high and dominated by Mimosaceae, Cactaceae and Euphorbiaceae, and the species is still found despite heavy grazing of the understorey and an apparent lack of flowers. At Olanchito, birds occur in similar but more cut-over and heavily grazed thorn-forest and scrub. The birds recently rediscovered at Santa Bárbara were in forest fragments 5-60 ha in size⁸. Feeding has been observed at several flowering plants and a conspicuous orangepipe cactus. Insect-catching has also been noted. The species is thought to undertake seasonal movements to track resources⁶.

Threats At Santa Bárbara and Cofradía most of the thorn-forest has been cleared for grazing and what little remains is extremely dry with few birds of any species present. Most remaining habitat in the río Aguán and Agalta valleys is on large haciendas, managed (non-intensively) for cattle-grazing², but there is still clearance for plantation agriculture and cattle pastures¹. In the Agalta valley, bulldozers are removing thorn-forest for replacement with rice cultivation², and improved access to the río Aguán valley has facilitated the continuing conversion to pineapple plantations. Perhaps most concerning are plans to pave and extend a road through the range of this species, which would presumably lead to further habitat loss³.

Conservation measures underway CITES Appendix II. The Honduran Air Force property known as Polígono in the río Aguán valley is now managed by the American Bird Conservancy and the Fundación Parque Nacional Pico Bonito as a core for a proposed 7,500 acre thorn forest reserve^2,5. An impact assessment of the proposed road is planned³. The species is a conservation target of the Hummingbird Society.

Conservation measures proposed Develop a system of core protected areas and work with neighbouring ranches to ensure that adjacent land is appropriately managed². Expand the Sierra de Agalta National Park to encompass suitable habitat within the valley². Survey to locate additional populations. Promote the species as a flagship for local and national conservation². Complete fencing thorn forest around Polígono to exclude cattle.

References Collar et al. (1992). 1. Anderson et al. (1998). 2. M. Bonta in litt. (1999). 3. S. Eccles in litt. (2000). 4. Howell and Webb (1992). 5. Anon (2005). 6. Anderson and Hyman (2007). 7. BirdLife International (2008). 8. R. E. Hyman in litt. (2008).

Further web sources of information

Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) species/site profile. This species has been identified as an AZE trigger due to its IUCN Red List status and limited range.

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), Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), David Capper (BirdLife International), Isabel Isherwood (BirdLife International), Andy Symes (BirdLife International)

Contributors Mark Bonta (Delta State University), S Eccles, Robert E Hyman (The Explorers Club)

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

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Amazilia luciae. 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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