VU
Green-winged Trumpeter Psophia viridis



Justification

Justification of Red List category
As a consequence of accelerating rates of habitat loss in combination with the species' vulnerability to hunting it is suspected that the population is undergoing rapid declines, and it is therefore classified as Vulnerable.

Population justification
The global population size has not been quantified, but this species is described as uncommon to locally fairly common (Stotz et al. 1996, del Hoyo et al. 2022).

Trend justification
The species is reportedly declining, as a consequence of habitat loss and fragmentation in combination with hunting for food, and is now restricted to remote areas far away from human settlements and disturbance (del Hoyo et al. 2022).
Over the past three generations (21.8 years), 15% of tree cover has been lost within the range; since 2017 this has been increasing to a rate equivalent to 18% over three generations (Global Forest Watch 2023, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein). This species is described as extremely sensitive to forest fragmentation, edge-effects and anthropogenic disturbance (del Hoyo et al. 2022). Precautionarily it is therefore suspected that overall habitat loss exceeds the rate of tree cover loss by half, suggesting an overall rate of habitat loss of 22-23% over the past three generations and accelerating to 27% over three generations from 2017 onward.
The impact of hunting on the population size has not been quantified, but the species is described as susceptible (A. Lees in litt. 2020, del Hoyo et al. 2022). In the absence of a quantification of the impact it is tentatively suspected that hunting contributes an additional c.5% to the rate of population decline, though an exact estimate is urgently required. Tentatively, past declines are therefore here placed in the band 25-29% over three generations, with the rate accelerating to 30-49% from 2017 onward.

Distribution and population

Psophia viridis occurs in southern Amazonian Brazil and extreme north-east Bolivia, in the interfluvial between the Rio Madeira and Rio Tapajós. Major rivers appear to form a hard barrier at the edge of the species' range (Santorelli et al. 2018), and this species is replaced by P. leucoptera to the west of the Madeira and P. dextralis to the east of the Tapajós.

Ecology

This is a species of dense lowland moist rainforest. It is highly sensitive to forest fragmentation and anthropogenic disturbance, only occurring in large tracts of mature forest away from human settlement (del Hoyo et al. 2022). It has a diverse diet, including fruit, arthropods, small vertebrates and carrion (Sherman 1996).

Threats

The primary threat to this species is accelerating deforestation in the Amazon basin as land is cleared for cattle ranching and soy production, facilitated by expansion of the road network (Soares-Filho et al. 2006, Bird et al. 2011). It is also suffering from hunting pressure and by now largely restricted to undisturbed areas of mature forests away from human settlements (Sherman 1996; A. Lees in litt. 2011, 2020; del Hoyo et al. 2022).

Conservation actions

Conservation and research actions underway
No targeted actions are known.

Conservation and research actions proposed
Accurately quantify the population size. Quantify the impact of threats, including habitat loss and hunting, on the population size. Monitor the population trend. Monitor rates of habitat loss.
Expand the protected area network to effectively protect key sites. Effectively manage protected areas, utilising emerging opportunities to finance protected area management with the joint aims of reducing carbon emissions and maximizing biodiversity conservation. Consider habitat restoration and the creation of dispersal corridors. Raise awareness for the species with the aim of reducing deforestation and hunting pressure. Introduce legislation to regulate hunting. Incentivise conservation on private lands through expanding market pressures for sound land management and preventing forest clearance on lands unsuitable for agriculture (Soares-Filho et al. 2006).

Identification

45-52 cm. Medium-sized, dark trumpeter. Black head, neck, underparts and wings, with strong purple iridescence on the neck and outer wing-coverts. The mantle is dark green becoming  brighter green down the back and on the inner wing. Bill and feet are green to olive.

Acknowledgements

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

Contributors
Butchart, S., Ekstrom, J., Khwaja, N., Lees, A., Sharpe, C.J., Symes, A. & Taylor, J.


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Green-winged Trumpeter Psophia viridis. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/green-winged-trumpeter-psophia-viridis 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.