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

Taxonomic note

Ampelornis griseiceps (del Hoyo and Collar 2016) was previously listed as Myrmeciza griseiceps.

 

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A., Fishpool, L.D.C., Boesman, P. and Kirwan, G.M. 2016. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 2: Passerines. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
SACC. 2005 and updates. A classification of the bird species of South America. Available at: https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm.

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
-	-	-

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2024	Near Threatened	B1b(iii)+2b(iii); C1+2a(i)
2016	Vulnerable	A2c+3c+4c;B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v);C2a(i)
2012	Vulnerable	A2c+3c+4c;B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v);C2a(i)
2008	Vulnerable	A2c; A3c; A4c; B1a+b(i,ii,iii,iv,v); C2a(i)
2007	Vulnerable
2004	Vulnerable
2000	Vulnerable
1996	Endangered
1994	Endangered
1988	Threatened

Migratory status	not a migrant	Forest dependency	high
Land-mass type	continent	Average mass	-

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	16,900 km2	medium
Area of Occupancy (breeding/resident)	316 km2	poor
Severely fragmented?	no	-

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	8000-18000,12700 mature individuals	poor	estimated	2024
Population trend	decreasing	poor	suspected	2017-2027
Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	5-15%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	5-15%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	5-15%	-	-	-
Generation length	2.98 years	-	-	-
Number of subpopulations	3-8	-	-	-
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation	1-89%	-	-	-

Population justification: The species is described as rare, uncommon and local (Schulenberg et al. 2007, Freile and Restall 2018). In Peru, it was found to occur at a density of 0.43 pairs per ha with an average territory size of 0.47 ha (Kikuchi 2009). In 2022, a total of 2,120-2,710 km² of forest with at least 75% canopy cover remained within the known and probable range (Global Forest Watch 2024, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein). With the range mapped to contiguous areas with occurrence records to reflect the observed rarity and patchy occupancy of apparently suitable habitat (F. Angulo in litt. 2024, M. Sanchez-Nivicela in litt. 2024, N. Kaare Krabbe in litt. 2024) the area of forest with at least 75% canopy cover present in 2022 was 890-981 km² (Global Forest Watch 2024, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein), or alternatively the Area of Habitat (AoH) is estimated at 1,485 km² at 300 m resolution using the sRedList platform (sRedList 2024). Assuming that the population density observed in Peru is representative for the entire range, and further assuming that only 10% of forest area are occupied to account for the species' rarity, a minimum global population may number roughly 7,700-8,400 mature individuals. Using the AoH value gives an estimate of 12,700 mature individuals (sRedList 2024). While the species is clearly restricted, much of the remaining forest between the records has not been adequately surveyed and the species plausibly occupies 10% of the wider suitable forest area in areas mapped as probable occurrence. which gives a value of between 18,000 and 23,000 mature individuals as a maximum population size. Hence the population size is estimated at between 8,000-18,000 mature individuals.
Based on the spatial distribution of records (eBird 2023, GBIF.org 2023) and assumed low dispersal abilities of the species there may be at least three separate subpopulations, and possibly up to eight. The largest, using assumptions as above, would comprise considerably more than a thousand mature individuals (estimated at 7,400 if dispersal is limited to 4 km [sRedList 2024]), though small isolated subpopulations may not be sustainable (noting that coverage has been low in the areas between the recorded presences and connectivity may be greater than precautionarily assumed).

Trend justification: The population trend has not been investigated, but declines are suspected on the basis of ongoing loss and degradation of habitat. Tree cover within the range is lost at a rate of 2% over ten years (Global Forest Watch 2023, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein). This value however does not account for additional impacts of degradation of the understory. Given the species' dependence on particular microhabitat associated with intact forests, population declines are suspected to be steeper than the rate of tree cover loss alone. They are therefore here precautionarily placed in the band 5-15% over ten years.

Country/Territory	Presence	Origin	Resident	Breeding visitor	Non-breeding visitor	Passage migrant
Ecuador	extant	native	yes
Peru	extant	native	yes

Country/Territory	IBA Name
Ecuador	Alamor-Celica
Ecuador	Bosque Protector Jatumpamba-Jorupe
Ecuador	Tambo Negro
Ecuador	Utuana-Bosque de Hanne
Peru	Alto Valle del Saña
Peru	Bosque de Cuyas
Peru	Parque Nacional Cerros de Amotape

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland	major	resident
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane	major	resident
Altitude	600 - 2900 m	Occasional altitudinal limits

Threat (level 1)	Threat (level 2)	Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Small-holder farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Agriculture & aquaculture	Livestock farming & ranching - Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use	Logging & wood harvesting - Unintentional effects: (subsistence/small scale) [harvest]	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Grey-headed Antbird Ampelornis griseiceps. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/grey-headed-antbird-ampelornis-griseiceps 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.