Justification This species is Endangered because remaining populations are very small, severely fragmented and, given continuing threats, presumably declining. Further surveys may find this species to be more widespread than recent records suggest, but effective protection of known sites is required if its conservation status is genuinely to improve.

Family/Sub-family Cracidae

Species name author Gray, 1844

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

Identification 84 cm. Unmistakable, large, black-and-white cracid. Glossy black above with bluish sheen. Whitish flecked black on neck, breast and upper belly with brown flanks and lower belly. Black tail with white band near base. Unusual red horn of bare skin on top of head and small red dewlap. White iris, yellow bill and red legs. Juvenile has reduced horn (develops through first year), and brown tail and wings. Voice Adult males and females differ in their vocalizations. Males utter four types, including a deep, low booming uhmm, uh'mmm uh'mmm, uh'mmm uh'mmm, uh'mmm uh'mmmmm. Females utter around 7-8 vocalisations and variants. Other vocalisations include snorts, clicking and bill-clacking¹¹.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

1,000-2,499

decreasing

7,700 km²

No

Range & population Oreophasis derbianus occurs in the Sierra Madre de Chiapas, Mexico, and throughout west-central Guatemala. In Mexico, there are recent records from El Triunfo, Cerro Venado, Cerro Toquian Grande, Cerro Quetzal and Volcán Tacaná, and birds have been purportedly collected, and a tail feather found, in the Chimalapas area of Oaxaca^1,7. Its occurrence in the Chimalapas, Oaxaca zone, has always been suspected, but never completely confirmed²¹. Fieldwork in 2005 and interviews with local people at San Antonio and Benito Juarez in the municipalities of San Miguel and Santa María, Chimalapas, suggest the presence of the species²¹. Verbal evidence suggests the Horned Guan is present in the areas known as Cordón El Reten y Sierra Tres Picos (González-García 2006). In Guatemala, there are recent records from Fuentes Georgina on Volcán Zunil; volcanoes Tolimán, Atitlán, San Pedro and Acatenango; and Sierra de las Minas. The species was found nesting at Volcán Atitlán in 2005¹⁶. In September 2007, two juveniles were observed at Volcán San Pedro, confirming breeding at the site¹⁹. Fieldwork and interviews have recently identified new localities, including San Marcos and Sibinal in the San Marcos department, and Chiantla and Santa Eulalia in the Huehuetenango department^12,13. Local people report the species from Cerro Tecpán, Chimaltenango, and Cerro El Amay, Quiché¹⁸. There are unconfirmed reports from Cerro Volcán Pacayita, Honduras. Unsuccessful searches for the species and interviews with local people in El Trifinio protected area suggest it is absent from this region and does not occur in Honduras¹⁹. Numbers decreased severely during the 20th century and nowhere is it better than uncommon. The population was estimated at fewer than 1,000 individuals in the late 1970s, but densities are estimated at 4.5-7.1 individuals/km² in El Triunfo², and some populations are remote and relatively secure.

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

Ecology: It inhabits cloud-forest at 1,200-3,500 m in Guatemala³, and 1,600-2,700 m in Mexico. The lack of records from June-August at El Triunfo suggests that it may undertake some altitudinal migration². Breeding generally occurs in January-June, when two eggs are laid⁶. At Volcán Atitlán, a bird was found incubating in January 2005 on a nest that was apparently later predated, however an adult and immature were seen together there in November 2005 and January 2006. In November 2005, the immature bird was aged at 6-7 months, suggesting that hatching took place between early April and early May¹⁶. Its diet comprises fruit, orchid flowers and leaves^5,14,21 and rarely invertebrates⁵.

Threats Since the 1960s, logging, firewood-gathering and agricultural expansion have caused extensive deforestation. Forest is presently threatened by clearance for subsistence agriculture, selective logging and wood extraction¹⁹. The loss and degradation of cloud-forest has caused the disappearance of the species from Cuilco, San Sebastian Coatan and the municipal area of San Pedro Soloma, in Guatemala¹³. Areas of forest have been cleared for agriculture in the buffer zone of El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve¹⁰. Forest patches along the Zunil-Retalhuleu road, Guatemala, may be threatened, as they fall within the optimum altitudinal band for coffee-growing¹¹. If it is an altitudinal migrant, it will have especially suffered from the replacement of lower montane forests with sun coffee. New roads are opening up areas for exploitation. Disturbance and forest degradation may be caused by roaming cattle¹⁷. Hunting is mostly for subsistence, and live birds are taken for trade and private collections^4,8.

Conservation measures underway CITES Appendix I and legally protected in Mexico and Guatemala. In Guatemala, most sites with recent records have protected status¹⁸. However, deficiencies in management that allow illegal hunting and illegal logging within protected areas are a serious issue for the species's conservation¹⁸. It has also been stated that there may not be enough suitable habitat incorporated in the national system of protected areas in Guatemala to ensure its survival in these reserves¹³. It occurs in El Triunfo, Tacana Volcano and Sierra de las Minas Biosphere Reserves, and Atitlán National Park. An environmental education programme around El Triunfo has been in progress since 1988⁷. The issues covered include pasture management for local cattle ranchers and sustainable harvesting of dwarf 'shate' palm⁹. Another project at El Triunfo is concerned with the production of shade-grown coffee. Many coffee farmers are signing up for organic certification, with almost 121.4 km² (30,000 acres) within the reserve certified by 2004⁹. In Guatemala, communities at Sibinal, San Pedro (Department of San Marcos) and Tecpán (Department of Chimaltenango), at known sites for the species, have formally designated their forests as Municipal Protected Areas^12,20, and at least one of these has a reforestation programme¹². In Guatemala, Cerro Yaxcalamte, Cerro Cruz Maltín, Municipal Forest of San Marcos and Volcán de Tajumulco have been identified as potential areas for further studies and conservation measures¹³. Small numbers of the species have been bred in captivity⁸. In October 2006, the third international symposium on the conservation of the species and its habitats was held in Mexico, and involved the formation of a panel for the discussion of the future conservation of the species¹⁵. O. derbianus is a 'flagship species' for the development of local tourism at several sites in Guatemala¹⁸. The International Committee for the Conservation of Oreophasis derbianus and its habitat, which is active in Mexico and Guatemala, has organised three symposiums where the advances on conservation have been presented¹⁹.

Conservation measures proposed Conduct surveys to obtain an estimate of local population densities and the total population size. Survey potential sites, especially in the Chimalapas area⁸ and Honduras. Study the species's movements and role in seed dispersal²¹. Conduct further research and conservation action in key areas in Guatemala¹³. In Guatemala, identify areas where reforestation with native species can be carried out¹³. Monitor local populations. Monitor rates of cloud-forest destruction and degradation in the species's range. Attempt to quantify the levels of hunting and trapping of this species. Create an international reserve at Volcán Tacaná. Enforce existing laws. Carry out research into its breeding biology using captive birds¹⁶. Assess the impact of ecotourism on the species and its habitat¹⁸. Improve the managment of existing protected areas across the species's range. Designate further areas at keys sites and ensure effective management²⁰.

References Collar et al. (1992). 1. J. Estudillo López in litt. (1994). 2. Gómez de Silva et al. (1999). 3. Escobar-Ortíz (1997). 4. González-García (1993). 5. González-García (1994). 6. González-García (1995). 7. González-García (1997). 8. F. González-García in litt. (1998, 1999). 9. Streiffert (2004). 10. V. Emanuel per Streiffert (2004). 11. Brooks and Gee (2006). 12. Anon. (2006). 13. Cóbar Carranza and Rivas Romero (2006). 14. González-García and Santana Castellón (2006). 15. Cornejo (2007). 16. Eisermann et al. (2007). 17. Andrle (undated). 18. K. Eisermann in litt. (2007). 19. J. Rivas in litt. (2007). 20. A. J. Cóbar Carranza in litt. (2007). 21. F. González-García in litt. (2007).

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), Isabel Isherwood (BirdLife International), Joe Taylor (BirdLife International)

Contributors Ana José Cóbar Carranza (Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala), Knut Eisermann (PROEVAL RAXMU Bird Monitoring Program), Jesus Estudillo López (Vida Silvestre), Fernando González-García (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México), Javier Rivas (Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala)

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

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Oreophasis derbianus. 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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