Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species is considered to have an extremely small, fragmented and declining population. It is therefore listed as Critically Endangered.
Population justification
There is little population data available, but it has been described as locally quite common (Roda et al. 2011). At Pedra Branca, it was considered rather common, but 15 days of observations between 1996-1999 found the species on only three occasions (A. Whittaker in litt. 1999). Numerous surveys by ornithologists within the species's range have encountered few individuals, leading to the conclusion in the Brazilian Red List that the population size is less than 250 mature individuals, with no more than 50 mature individuals in any subpopulation (MMA 2014, Melo Dantas and Lees 2018). The population size is therefore placed in the band 50-249 mature individuals.
Trend justification
Remote-sensed data indicates that approximately 5% of tree cover with at least 50% canopy cover was lost within the species's mapped range over ten years from 2009 to 2019 (Global Forest Watch 2020). From this information, the species's population size is inferred to be declining, at a rate suspected to be within the range 1-5% over ten years. Assuming forest loss continues at a similar rate, the species is suspected to also undergo a population size reduction of 1-5% over the next decade.
Phylloscartes ceciliae is known from a small number of localities in Alagoas and Pernambuco states, north-east Brazil. It was discovered at Murici in 1983 and subsequently found at Pedra Talhada in 1987. It has since been recorded at over 20 further localities including Brejo dos Cavalos (Caruaru), Frei Caneca/Pedra D'Antas (Jaqueira and Lagoa dos Gatos), Engenho Jussará (Gravatá), Matas do Mucuri-Hymalaia Municipal Natural Park (Bonito), Engenho Brejão (Bonito) and Pedra do Rosário (Bonito) in Pernambuco; and Usina Serra Grande (Sao José da Laje), Pedra Talhada (Quebrangulo), Murici and Mata do Engenho Coimbra (Ibateguara) in Alagoas (Mazar Barnett et al. 2005, Roda et al. 2011, Pereira et al. 2014, WikiAves 2020).
It occurs in upland humid forest at 160-980 m, often joining mixed-species flocks in the mid-storey and subcanopy, 6-15 m above ground. The diet consists of small arthropods taken from the surface of leaves and branches. Breeding is likely to take place from September to February. A nest was found in a rather open area in 1990.
There has been massive clearance of Atlantic forest in Alagoas, largely as a result of logging and conversion to sugarcane plantations and pasture. Forest at Murici has been reduced from 70 km2 in the 1970s, to a mere 30 km2 of highly disturbed and fragmented habitat in 1999 (J. M. Goerck in litt. 1999). The site continues to be threatened by fires spreading from adjacent plantations, hunting, timber extraction and agriculture (J. M. Goerck in litt. 1999, A. Whittaker in litt. 1999, J. M. Goerck in litt. 2000). However, hunting and other illegal activities within the Ecological Station have been largely brought under control during recent years by ICMBio staff, with the last known instance of timber extraction in 2017 (B. Phalan in litt. 2020). The Frei Caneca private reserve and BirdLife/SAVE Brasil area are no longer suffering from illegal charcoal exploitation, however there is still some illegal expansion of banana plantation replacing the native vegetation (B. Phalan in litt. 2020).
Conservation Actions Underway
In Brazil, it is legally recognised as Critically Endangered (MMA 2014) and protected under Brazilian law. It is included in the National Action Plan for the Conservation of the Birds of the Atlantic Forest, which includes the following actions: creation of more private protected areas and connection of remaining forest fragments within the Pernambuco Centre of Endemism, enforcement of legislation to prevent deforestation, promoting the of the consideration of priority areas in agricultural development plans, and environmental education and awareness campaigns (ICMBio 2017). It occurs in several protected areas including MN Orquidário Pedra do Rosário, Vasconcelos Sobrinho Municipal Natural Park, Matas do Mucuri-Himalaia Municipal Natural Park, Frei Caneca Private Natural Heritage Reserve, Pedra D'Antas Private Natural Heritage Reserve, Murici Ecological Station and Pedra Talhada Biological Reserve (Melo Dantas and Lees 2018).
At Pedra Talhada Biological Reserve, significant areas have been reforested with native trees (A. Studer per A. Whittaker in litt. 1999). Protection at this reserve has been enforced by guards and apparently welcomed by local communities (A. Studer per A. Whittaker in litt. 1999). Fazenda Pedra D'Antas was recognized as a Private Reserve of Natural Heritage in 2011 (SAVE Brasil 2019). Forest restoration and eduction have been carried out at Pedra D'Antas and the adjacent Frei Caneca Private Reserve (SAVE Brasil 2019).
The species's natural history has recently been studied at Serra do Urubu (Porto 2020).
12 cm. Small, olivaceous-green tyrannulet. Whitish supercilium and area below eye extending onto ear-coverts. Latter has dusky outline merging into dusky eye-stripe and loral area. Whitish underparts, washed dark green on flanks and pale yellowish on lower belly. Dusky wings and tail. Two pale yellowish wing-bars and fringing. Similar spp. Resembles allopatric Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet P. ventralis. Voice Uncharacteristic peeping sequence djü, djü, sometimes sharper and faster ürürüt, ürürüt and inconspicuous tchüp. Occasionally fast sweek! sweek-a-dee-deek.
Text account compilers
Wheatley, H.
Contributors
Goerck, J.M., Roda, S., Whittaker, A., Symes, A., Capper, D., Westrip, J.R.S., Sharpe, C.J., Benstead, P. & Lees, A.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Alagoas Tyrannulet Phylloscartes ceciliae. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/alagoas-tyrannulet-phylloscartes-ceciliae on 22/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 22/12/2024.