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 may be moderately small to large, 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
Subspecies argyrotis has a population of less than 50,000 individuals (Hilty and Brown 1986, Strahl et al. 1994, Strahl and Silva 1997). Subspecies albicauda and colombiana each number less than 10,000 individuals (Strahl et al. 1994). The global population consequently numbers up to 70,000 individuals (Strahl et al. 1994). This roughly equates to 45,000 mature individuals.
Trend justification
The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction in parts of its range and the impact of hunting.
Tree cover within the range is lost at a rate of up to 5% over three generations (20.5 years; Global Forest Watch 2022, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein). Given that the species is moreover subject to hunting, population declines may be steeper than the rate of tree cover loss suggests; tentatively, population declines are here placed in the band 1-19% over three generations.
This species occurs in northeast Colombia and northern Venezuela. The nominate subspecies argyrotis is uncommon to fairly common in north Colombia and north and west Venezuela. Subspecies albicauda is restricted to the Sierra de Perijá in northeast Colombia and northwest Venezuela, while subspecies colombiana occurs in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, north Colombia (Strahl et al. 1994).
The species primarily inhabits dense montane evergreen forest in subtropical and upper tropical zones, often nesting in Rubraceae tree species, but is occasionally observed in tall secondary growth, coffee plantations and the upper edges of drier forest, at elevations of 300-3,050 m, but mostly from 800 to 2,400 m (del Hoyo et al. 1994).
The species is threatened by forest loss and degradation through agricultural expansion, cattle ranching, logging and burning (Dinerstein et al. 1995, Stattersfield et al. 1998). It is moreover hunted for food (del Hoyo and Kirwan 2020). Since 1970, more than half of the distribution range has seen an increase in anthropogenic threats (Ocampo-Peñuela et al. 2022).
Text account compilers
Hermes, C.
Contributors
Butchart, S., Ekstrom, J. & Harding, M.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Band-tailed Guan Penelope argyrotis. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/band-tailed-guan-penelope-argyrotis on 23/12/2024.
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 23/12/2024.