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

Justification of Red List category
Known only from two 19th century trade skins labelled as 'from Bolivia', there remains the possibility that the species has been subsequently overlooked. Given the complete lack of modern information regarding the species, it is classified as Data Deficient.

Population justification
The global population size cannot be quantified until the species is refound.

Trend justification
Data on population trends is lacking.

Discosura letitiae is known from two specimens simply labelled as 'from Bolivia', and taken prior to 1852 when it was described (Bourcier and Mulsant 1852, Butchart and Bird 2010). A study investigating the possibility that the specimens represented immature or variant plumages of Racket-tailed Coquette Discosura longicaudus (probably the most closely related species) or a hybrid form validated the original treatment as a separate species (Graves 1999).
It could occur in the ornithologically poorly known Amazonian lowlands of north or north-east Bolivia, as the only other Discosura recorded there is Black-bellied Thorntail D. langsdorffi (in extreme north-west Pando) and three of the other four Discosura species have lowland distributions. However, localities for 19th century trade skins, such as these, are often unreliable, to the extent that the two specimens may not have even come from Bolivia (Graves 1999). Furthermore, international boundaries have changed in this area since the early 19th century, such that parts of the Amazon previously in Bolivia are now in Brazil.

The species' ecology and habitat requirements are unknown, but may occur in forests in the Amazonian lowland and foothills.

The threats have not investigated, but if it is an extant species of the Amazonian lowlands it may presumably be threatened by habitat loss.

Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix II.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Search for the species in lowland forest in northern Bolivia. If found, quantify the population size and trend, investigate its biology, ecology and habitat requirements, and research threats.

Text account compilers
Hermes, C., Martin, R.

Contributors
Capper, D., Sharpe, C.J., Stuart, T. & Symes, A.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Coppery Thorntail Discosura letitiae. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/coppery-thorntail-discosura-letitiae 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.