Justification
This species is considered Near Threatened, as it is thought to be experiencing a moderately rapid population decline owing to habitat loss and degradation, although it remains common in existing areas of suitable habitat.
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.
Stotz, D. F.; Fitzpatrick, J. W.; Parker, T. A.; Moskovits, D. K. 1996. Neotropical birds: ecology and conservation. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Distribution and populationSporophila melanogaster occurs in west Minas Gerais and south Goiás, south to Rio Grande do Sul, in south-east
Brazil. It is locally common in suitable habitats.
Population justificationThe global population size has not been quantified, but this species is described as 'uncommon' (Stotz et al. 1996).
Trend justificationSlow to moderate declines are suspected to be occurring, owing to habitat loss and degradation, although data on trends are lacking.
EcologyThis species is found in grassland habitats at 700-1,100 m and lower altitudes in the non-breeding season (Ridgely and Tudor 1989, Parker
et al. 1996). It is locally common in tall southern temperate grasslands, freshwater marshes and scrub, and is seasonally numerous (at least November-March) as a breeder in the highlands of Santa Catarina and north-east Rio Grande do Sul (Parker
et al. 1996). Although apparently an austral migrant to the north of its range, its non-breeding range is poorly known (Ridgely and Tudor 1989, Parker
et al. 1996).
ThreatsIt is presumably threatened as a result of rapid destruction of its habitat by extensive cattle-ranching, agriculture, invasive grasses, wetland drainage and excessive pesticide use (da Silva 1995, Parker and Willis 1997).
Conservation actions underwayNone is known.
Conservation actions proposedConduct surveys to determine the full extent of the range, particularly during the non-breeding season. Determine its ecological requirements and the extent of tolerance of agricultural habitats. Effectively protect significant areas of suitable grassland habitat at key sites.
References
Ridgely, R. S.; Tudor, G. 1989. The birds of South America. University of Texas Press, Austin, Texas.
da Silva, J. M. C. 1995. Birds of the Cerrado Region, South America. Steenstrupia 21: 69-92.
Parker, T. A.; Stotz, D. F.; Fitzpatrick, J. W. 1996. Ecological and distributional databases. In: Stotz, D.F.; Fitzpatrick, J.W.; Parker, T.A.; Moskovits, D.K. (ed.), Neotropical bird ecology and conservation, pp. 113-436. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Parker, T. A.; Willis, E. O. 1997. Notes on three tiny grassland flycatchers, with comments on the disappearance of South American fire-diversified savannas. Ornithological Monographs 48: 549-555.
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
Butchart, S., Gilroy, J., O'Brien, A., Sharpe, C J
IUCN Red List evaluators
Butchart, S., Symes, A.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Sporophila melanogaster. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 20/06/2013.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 20/06/2013.
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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