Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Population justification
The global population size has not been quantified, but this species is described as 'uncommon' (Stotz et al. 1996).
Trend justification
This population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat loss and degradation (del Hoyo et al. 2003).
This species occurs in the arid montane scrub and deciduous woodland of west Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, La Paz, Potosí and Chuquisaca, south Bolivia (Ridgely and Tudor 1994, Armonía 1995, Herzog et al. 1997).
The species has an elevational range of 1,450-2,960 m (Ridgely and Tudor 1994) but mostly inhabits intermontane valleys below 2,000 m.
Further human settlement and agricultural expansion seriously threaten remaining woodland fragments, but the species is also found in sparsely vegetated areas with terrestrial bromeliads that are typical of severely overgrazed areas (Herzog et al. 1997).
Text account compilers
Ekstrom, J., Butchart, S., Harding, M.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Species factsheet: Tarphonomus harterti. Downloaded from
http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/bolivian-earthcreeper-tarphonomus-harterti on 29/11/2023.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2023) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
http://datazone.birdlife.org on 29/11/2023.
