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closeJustification
This species has a small and declining subpopulation in Brazil and a larger subpopulation in Venezuela. Habitat loss and degradation are driving moderately raid declines, particularly in Brazil. For these reasons it is considered Near Threatened. The proposed taxonomic reallocation of the Venezuelan subpopulation to form part of P. picta would likely warrant reclassification of the remaining P. leucotis in Brazil to a higher threat category.
Taxonomic source(s)
SACC. 2006. A classification of the bird species of South America. Available at: http://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.html.
Taxonomic note
Pyrrhura leucotis (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into P. leucotis, P. griseipectus and P. pfrimeri following SACC (2005). SACC (2008) moved P. l. emma (Venezuelan taxon) to P. picta; this treatment is under review by the BirdLife Taxonomic Working Group.
Identification
23 cm. Overall a small green parakeet (conure) with blue in the wing, a red-brown rump, tail, belly and shoulder. The chest and breast are yellow and grey with pale scallops. The face is plum-red while the pileum is grey-brown with some blue on the forecrown brown. Similar spp Subtly different from P. griseipectus and P. pfrimeri, in coloration of the pileum and having a creamy-buff auricular patch.
Pyrrhura leucotis has a disjunct distribution with widely separate subpopulations in Atlantic Forest of Brazil and in Venezuela . The two subpopulations appear to have different status making an accurate assessment of the species's global level of threat problematic. In Brazil it is restricted to lowland and foothill (up to 500 m) forest from Bahia south of the Jequitinhonha river, south to Espirito Santo, parts of eastern Bahia and Rio de Janeiro. The southernmost population now occurs in Serra do Tinguá (22°36'S, 43°27'W) (Olmos et al. 1998, Joseph 2000). In southern Bahia it has been recently found in only 4 of 30 surveyed areas, and seems associated with the now very reduced "matas de tabuleiro". In contrast, in Venezuela it is rather common in forested areas of the coastal cordillera (incl. NE Venezuela) (P. Boesman in litt. 2006). The species has declined significantly within its Brazilian range but faces fewer threats in Venezuela. The proposed taxonomic reallocation of the Venezuelan subpopulation P. l. emma to belong with P. picta would likely warrant reclassification of the remaining P. leucotis in Brazil to a higher threat category.
Population justification
Preliminary population estimate (no data).
Trend justification
The species is suspected to be declining due to deforestation and capture for trade, but the rate of decline has not been quantified.
Ecology
It occurs in Atlantic Forest in Brazil and foothill forest of the coastal Cordillera in Venezuela. Pyrrhura parakeets typically spend most time foraging (typically in groups) in the canopy and are reliant on their forest habitat.
Threats
Forest clearance has been extensive in its Brazilian range, affecting most of the "matas de tabuleiro" in Bahia and Espirito Santo. P. l. leucotis is fairly frequently confiscated in captivity, suggesting that this taxon is frequently harvested for trade (J. Gilardi in litt. 2010).
Conservation actions underway
In Brazil it is nominally protected in parts of Bahia (Estação Veracruz private reserve, and Descobrimento, Pau Brasil and Monte Pascoal national parks) (Cordeiro 2002). Monte Pascoal faces an uncertain future as it has been invaded by Pataxó Indians who have extensively cleared their neighbouring area. Elsewhere the species is known from the Linhares-Sooretama reserves (Espirito Santo), Rio Doce State Park (Minas Gerais) and Tinguá Biological Reserve (Rio de Janeiro). In Venezuela it survives in several national parks (P. Boesman in litt. 2006).
Conservation actions proposed
Continue monitoring this species in the field and in trade. Strengthen the protected area network within the Atlantic Forest of Brazil to conserve key sites.
References
Joseph, L. 1988. A review of the conservation status of Australian parrots in 1987. Biological Conservation 46: 261-280.
Olmos, F.; Martuscelli, P.; Silva e Silva, R. 1997. Distribution and dry season ecology of Pfrimer's Conure Pyrrhura pfrimeri, with a reappraisal of Brazilian Pyrrhura "leucotis". Ornitologia Neotropical 8(2): 121-132.
Cordeiro, P. H. C. 2002. A fragmentaçao da Mata Atlântica no sul da Bahia e suas implicaçoes na conservaçao dos psitacídeos. In: Galetti, M.; Pizo, M.A. (ed.), Ecologia e conservaçao de psitacídeos no Brasil, pp. 215-227. Belo Horizonte, Melopsittacus Publicaçoes Científicas.
Further web sources of information
Hear sounds for this species from xeno-canto, the community database of shared bird sounds from around the world.
View photos and videos, and hear sounds of this species from the Internet Bird Collection
Text account compilers
Bird, J., Butchart, S., Symes, A.
Contributors
Boesman, P.
IUCN Red List evaluators
Butchart, S., Taylor, J.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Pyrrhura leucotis. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 22/05/2013.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 22/05/2013.
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.
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
To contribute to discussions on the evaluation of the IUCN Red List status of Globally Threatened Birds, please visit BirdLife's Globally Threatened Bird Forums.
Additional resources for this species
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| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| Current IUCN Red List category | Near Threatened |
| Family | Psittacidae (Parrots) |
| Species name author | (Kuhl, 1820) |
| Population size | 10000-19999 mature individuals |
| Population trend | Decreasing |
| Distribution size (breeding/resident) | 310,000 km2 |
| Country endemic? | No |
| Links to further information | |
| - Additional Information on this species | |
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