Species

Justification
This species is classified as Near Threatened because it is suspected to be declining moderately rapidly owing to habitat loss.

Taxonomic source(s)
SACC. 2006. A classification of the bird species of South America. Available at: http://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.html.
Sibley, C. G.; Monroe, B. L. 1990. Distribution and taxonomy of birds of the world. Yale University Press, New Haven, USA.

Distribution and population
Veniliornis chocoensis occurs on the Pacific coast, from extreme west Antioquia and Chocó, west Colombia, south to Esmeraldas and north-west Pichincha, north-west Ecuador (Norton et al. 1972, Hilty and Brown 1986, Ridgely & Greenfield 2001), and appears to be rare throughout its range.

Population justification
The population size of this species has not been quantified, but it is described as rare to uncommon and local.

Trend justification
A moderately rapid and on-going population decline is suspected owing to habitat loss.

Ecology
It is poorly known, but has been recorded in lowland evergreen forest and forest edge up to 1,000 m (Sibley and Monroe 1990).

Threats
Unplanned colonisation following the completion of roads and massive logging concessions have cleared or degraded over 40% of its Chocó forests, and deforestation is accelerating (Salaman 1994, Stattersfield et al. 1998). Currently, intensive logging, human settlement, cattle-grazing, mining and coca and palm cultivation pose threats, with deforestation most severe in its altitudinal range (Dinerstein et al. 1995, Wege and Long 1995). For example, large areas of its western Ecuadorian range are being purchased, denuded of forest and converted to industrial oil palm plantations (Sharpe 1999).

Conservation actions underway
It occurs in El Pangán Reserve, Colombia; and Cotocachi-Cayapas Ecological Reserve and Bilsa in Ecuador.

Conservation actions proposed
Effectively protect and manage protected areas where the species occurs. Monitor population at strongholds and search for the species in potentially suitable habitat at new sites. Study its ecology and its ability to persist in degraded and fragmented habitats. Use GIS habitat loss data to produce estimate of declines.

References
Sharpe, C. J. 1999. A rapid biodiversity assessment of the San Lorenzo - Ventanas area, Esmeraldas, north-west Ecuador, 27 November - 14 December 1998. Fauna and Flora International.

Norton, D. W.; Orcés V. , G.; Sutter, E. 1972. Notes on rare and previously unreported birds from Ecuador. The Auk 89: 889-894.

Hilty, S. L.; Brown, W. L. 1986. A guide to the birds of Colombia. Princeton University Press, Princeton.

Sibley, C. G.; Monroe, B. L. 1990. Distribution and taxonomy of birds of the world. Yale University Press, New Haven, USA.

Salaman, P. G. W. 1994. Surveys and conservation of biodiversity in the Chocó, south-west Colombia. BirdLife International, Cambridge, U.K.

Wege, D. C.; Long, A. J. 1995. Key Areas for threatened birds in the Neotropics. BirdLife International, Cambridge, U.K.

Dinerstein, E.; Olson, D. M.; Graham, D. J.; Webster, A. L.; Primm, S. A.; Bookbinder, M. P.; Ledec, G. 1995. A conservation assesssment of the terrestrial ecoregions of Latin America and the Caribbean. World Bank, Washington, D.C.

Stattersfield, A. J.; Crosby, M. J.; Long, A. J.; Wege, D. C. 1998. Endemic bird areas of the world: priorities for bird conservation. BirdLife International, Cambridge, U.K.

del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J. 2002. Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol. 7: Jacamars to Woodpeckers. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain.

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
Benstead, P., Capper, D., Sharpe, C J, Symes, A.

IUCN Red List evaluators
Butchart, S., Symes, A.

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Veniliornis chocoensis. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 25/05/2013. Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 25/05/2013.

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.