• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

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 is very large, and hence does not 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
Population surveys report densities of 0.13-0.4 groups per ha (Franco et al. 2006, Fierro-Calderón et al. 2009). Assuming that each group consists of at least two mature individuals and further precautionarily assuming that around 10% of the mapped range is occupied (i.e. 10% of 60,500 km²), the total population may number 157,300-484,000 mature individuals, rounded here to 150,000-500,000 mature individuals.

Trend justification
The population trend has not been assessed directly. The species is able to tolerate some habitat clearance, and forest loss over the past three generations (14.4 years) has been low within the range (potentially <5%; Global Forest Watch 2020). The species is further threatened by hunting and dog predation; hence, the rate of population decline may be larger than the rate of forest loss. Despite this, it is unlikely that the overall rate of population decline exceeds 10% over three generations.

Odontophorus hyperythrus is endemic to Colombia, where it occurs on both slopes of the West and Central Andes south to Cauca and the head of the Magdalena valley in Huila (Hilty and Brown 1986).

It occurs in montane evergreen forest, forest edge, older secondary growth, and there is some evidence that it frequents coffee plantations with shade trees, at 1,600-2,700 m (Hilty and Brown 1986, Carroll 1994). Family groups of up to nine individuals (usually a breeding pair and their offspring) feed on fruits, seeds and invertebrates in the leaf-litter and among tree roots (Franco et al. 2006). Surveys from the Central Cordillera estimated densities of 0.3-0.4 groups per ha, with a group home range size of 2.6 to 9.0 ha (Franco et al. 2006), while studies in the Western Andes detected 0.13-0.18 groups per ha (Fierro-Calderón et al. 2009).

The species is threatened by habitat loss. Forests within the range have suffered widespread and severe deforestation over centuries of human colonisation (Wege and Long 1995), particularly in the Central Andes, with resultant fragmentation and isolation of populations. Further degradation owing to agricultural expansion is projected in the Central Andes, and the slopes of the Cauca and Magdalena valleys are now characterised by remnant (often secondary) forest patches, pasture, coffee, banana and sugarcane plantations (Wege and Long 1995). Further threats include hunting and predation by dogs (McGowan et al. 1995, Franco et al. 2006).

Conservation Actions Underway
None are known.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Research taxonomic status of sub-populations. Monitor population at known sites. Search for the species in suitable habitat. Effectively protect remaining areas of forest. Begin educational campaigns to reduce hunting pressure.

Text account compilers
Hermes, C.

Contributors
Benstead, P., Capper, D., Sharpe, C.J. & Symes, A.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Chestnut Wood-quail Odontophorus hyperythrus. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/chestnut-wood-quail-odontophorus-hyperythrus on 23/11/2024.
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 23/11/2024.