Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species has an extremely 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). The population trend is not known, but the population is not believed to be decreasing sufficiently rapidly to approach the thresholds 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 is suspected to be large.
Trend justification
The population trend is not known, but the population is suspected to be declining due to habitat loss.
Amaurospiza moesta occurs in Mexico (Chiapas), Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia (Nariño), Venezuela (Lower R Caroní basin, north Bolívar), Ecuador (southwest Manabí and west Guayas; western slope of Andes south locally to Loja), north Peru (Cajamarca, possibly also Piura).south-east Brazil (south Espírito Santo, south-east Minas Gerais, east São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, north Rio Grande do Sul, and Tocantins, with one historical record from south Maranhão), east Paraguay (Canindeyú, Caazapá, Itapúa and Alto Paraná) and north-east Argentina (Misiones) (Storer 1989, Ridgely and Tudor 1989, Brooks et al. 1993, Sick 1993, Lowen et al. 1996, Pacheco et al. 2007). In Brazil, it is relatively common in the Serra do Mar and Paraná (F. C. Straube in litt. 1991), but very local elsewhere (Ridgely and Tudor 1989). In Argentina, it is locally common, especially in the highlands (Benstead et al. 1993, J. Mazar Barnett in litt. 1999), but it is rare in Paraguay, even at the few sites where it has been recorded (Storer 1989, Brooks et al. 1993, Lowen et al. 1996, Madroño and Esquivel 1997).
This species inhabits lowland and montane Atlantic forest up to 1,600 m. It is particularly found where there is extensive Chusquea or Guadua spp. bamboo stands (Ridgely and Tudor 1989, Lowen et al. 1996, Parker et al. 1996) but is possibly less dependent on bamboo flowerings than Temminck's Seedeater Sporophila falcirostris (F. C. Straube in litt. 1991, Lowen et al. 1996).
There are still extensive tracts of montane forest, particularly in São Paulo, but lowland Atlantic forest has been severely degraded and is now threatened by urbanisation, industrialisation, agricultural expansion, colonisation and associated road-building (Dinerstein et al. 1995).
Conservation Actions Underway
Conservation Actions Proposed
Monitor populations at known sites to determine population trends and rates of range contraction. Conduct ecological studies to determine precise habitat requirements and levels of tolerance of habitat degradation and fragmentation. Grant protection to areas of suitable habitat.
Text account compilers
Butchart, S., Sharpe, C.J., Gilroy, J., Wheatley, H.
Contributors
Straube, F.|C, Mazar Barnett, J.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Blue Seedeater Amaurospiza moesta. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/blue-seedeater-amaurospiza-moesta 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.