Giant Kingbird (Tyrannus cubensis) - BirdLife species factsheet

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EN	Giant Kingbird Tyrannus cubensis

2010 IUCN Red List Category (as evaluated by BirdLife International - the official Red List Authority for birds for IUCN): Endangered

Justification This species has declined rapidly for largely unknown reasons, and is extinct on two of the three island groups that it formerly occupied. It is classified as Endangered because it now has a very small and severely fragmented range and population, which continues to decline significantly.

Family/Sub-family Tyrannidae

Species name author Richmond, 1898

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

Identification 23 cm. Large two-toned kingbird with massive bill. Grey above, white below and blackish crown and nape. Orange coronal strip normally concealed. Similar spp. Loggerhead Kingbird T. caudifasciatus is smaller (especially bill), darker crown and white tail-band. Eastern Kingbird T. tyrannus is slighter with much smaller bill, paler crown and white tail-band. Voice Loud harsh chatter and four-syllable call.

Population estimate	Population trend	Range estimate (breeding/resident)	Country endemic?
250-999	decreasing	3,200 km²	Yes

Range & population Tyrannus cubensis is endemic to Cuba where although always scarce it has become increasingly rare, for largely unknown reasons. It is now very locally distributed, and is most common (still few recent records) around Moa^5,6. It is also known from the Sierra de Najasa⁴, with recent records from the mountains south-east of Moa⁶, near Trinidad in Sancti Spíritus province³ and near Caimito in La Habana province⁷. There have been no recent records from historic localities in Pinar del Río province or the Zapata Swamp⁴. There are old records from the south Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands (to UK), but surveys of the larger uninhabited islands in the Turks and Caicos in 1999 failed to find the species, and it is presumed locally extinct¹.

Ecology: Although sometimes recorded in woodland, especially pine forest, and even in low elevation (c.400 m) cloud-forest on serpentine soils⁶, this species prefers the ecotone between forested and open areas, such as grassland and swamps, as well as riparian forest and open forest with tall trees in montane areas⁸. It feeds on large insects, lizards (espeically Anolis spp) , other birds' fledglings and, during the dry season, significant quantities of fruit^5,8. Pair bonds are life-long and birds occupy large territories (mean size 27.5 ha)⁸. The breeding season is March-June², and the nest is usually sited on the horizontal branch of a large tree, usually Ceiba pentandra⁸.

Threats The precise reasons for this species's decline are unclear, but habitat loss, and especially loss of large trees suitable for nesting, from logging and agricultural conversion is presumably at least a contributory factor.

Conservation measures underway A project to discover more about its breeding ecology has been completed in the Sierra de Najasa and the results published⁸.

Conservation measures proposed Survey to define the species's precise distribution, especially around Moa and at historic locations in Pinar del Río province (including the rarely-visited Guanahacabibes Peninsula)⁴. Continue the project in the Sierra de Najasa and make further efforts to better define its ecological requirements⁴. Protect remaining habitat wherever it still survives⁴.

References Collar et al. (1992). 1. G. Hilton in litt. (1999). 2. A. Kirkconnell in litt. (1999). 3. G. M. Kirwan in litt. (1999). 4. A. Mitchell in litt. (1998). 5. Raffaele et al. (1998). 6. Rompré et al. (2000). 7. Suárez (1998). 8. Regalado (2002).

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 Isabel Isherwood (BirdLife International), Rob Pople (BirdLife International - European Division), David Wege (BirdLife International)

Contributors Geoff Hilton (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds), Arturo Kirkconnell (Museo Nacional de Historia Natural), G. M. Kirwan, Andy Mitchell

IUCN Red List evaluators Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Simon Mahood (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2010) Species factsheet: Tyrannus cubensis. 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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