Justification This species has an extremely small range which is severely fragmented and within which habitat loss and degradation are continuing. For these reasons it is listed as Endangered.

Family/Sub-family Psittacidae

Species name author Miranda-Ribeiro, 1920

Taxonomic source(s) SACC (2005 + updates)

Taxonomic note Pyrrhura leucotis (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into P. leucotis, P. griseipectus and P. pfrimeri following SACC (2005).

Identification 23 cm. Overall a green parakeet with blue in the wing, a red-brown rump, tail and belly. The chest and breast has dark green scallops. The face is chestnut-red while the crown, nape and hind-neck are dull blue. Similar spp subtly different from P. leucotis and P. griseipectus, having generally more blue on the head and a reduced auricular patch.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

20,000-49,999

decreasing

2,185 km²

Yes

Range & population Pyrrhura pfrimeri is an endemic restricted to the narrow dry forest belt near the Serra Geral, in the states of Goiás and Tocantins ^1,2,3, Brazil. It occupies a small range within which much of its forest habitat has been (and continues to be) logged². Ongoing work suggests there may now be fewer than 50,000 individuals remaining⁴, representing a decline of up to 75% from 1998 estimates of c. 162,000-202,500 birds (although the 1998 figure may have been an overestimate as habitat was already severely degraded in parts of the species's range²).

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

Ecology: It is restricted to deciduous or semi-deciduous dry forest growing on limestone outcrops or limestone derived soils. This caatinga type habitat is an isolated island within surrounding cerrado savannah. Caatinga forest typically has a closed canopy and dense understorey with lianas and some cacti, particularly in disturbed areas. The species has been seen in recently fragmented forest patches² but reportedly does not occur far from the forest edge. It feeds on flowers, fruits and seeds, sometimes on the ground and typically in groups.

Threats The principal threat to this species is deforestation driven by selective logging, fires and habitat conversion to pasture². Dry forest in Goiás decreased from covering 15.8 % of the region in 1990 to only 5.8 % in 1999, and less than 1 % of the remaining fragments were larger than 100 ha⁵. Rapid deforestation is occurring within the species's range to create pasture and widespread burning to improve poor pasture is destroying dry forest habitat. Logging mainly targets durable woods that are commonly used to make fence poles, and cement companies are beginning to target areas of limestone outcrops⁴. The species is rarely recorded in trade or exotic bird collections but this poses a potential threat². Population pressure will increase as its range lies close to the capital city, Brasilia².

Conservation measures underway It occurs within the proposed Terra Ronca State Park but this is yet to be fully implemented, and Mata Grande National Forest⁴. Other parts of the range are not protected. The species appears on the Brazilian Red List as Vulnerable and IBAMA (Brazilian Federal Agency for Environment) is about to create a "Small Parakeet Conservation Group" to comprise all Pyrrhura spp. and establish conservation efforts. Brasilia Zoological Garden started a captive breeding program in 2001 with 10 individuals but none survived after six years⁴. Very few private aviculturists are known to keep the species in captivity⁴.

Conservation measures proposed Determine the extent of remaining habitat and current rates of deforestation. Closely monitor the species in trade in case demand increases.

References 1. Joseph (2000) 2. Olmos et al. (1998). 3. Silva (1995). 4. C. A. Bianchi in litt. (2006, 2007). 5. F. Olmos in litt. (2007).

Text account compilers Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Andy Symes (BirdLife International)

Contributors Carlos Bianchi (Oregon State University), Fabio Olmos

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

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Pyrrhura pfrimeri. 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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