Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species is known only from the holotype, which was taken in 1895. There is currently minimal habitat loss at the type locality, but the lack of recent records mean any remaining population is likely to be tiny. There has not yet been sufficient targeted search effort to list the species as Extinct or Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct), and it is therefore classified as Critically Endangered.
Population justification
If the species persists, any remaining population is assumed to be tiny (<50 mature individuals; Kirwan and Collar 2016).
Trend justification
Recent forest loss at this locality has been minimal (Global Forest Watch 2016) and so any potential remaining population is suspected to be stable.
This species has recently been recognised as a valid taxon on the basis of a reanalysis of the sole specimen by Kirwan and Collar (2016). It is known only from the Volcán de Miravalles in Costa Rica, but it has not been recorded since the holotype was taken in 1895 (Underwood 1896). There have been some further visits to the Volcán de Miravalles that have not been successful in finding the species (Stiles and Skutch 1989), but it is not certain how targeted or intensive these were (Kirwan and Collar 2016).
The precise elevation at which the holotype was taken is uncertain, but it has been suggested that it was most likely taken in forest between 600-650 m (Kirwan and Collar 2016).
Recent forest loss at this locality has been minimal (Global Forest Watch 2016) and so any potential remaining population is suspected to be stable, but there remains the likelihood that the species did suffer as a result of habitat loss in the past (Kirwan and Collar 2016); substantial forest loss was reported on the west side of Volcán de Miravalles in past decades with most areas now comprising agricultural land, particularly around 600-650 m elevation where the species is reported from (B. Young in litt. 2017).
Conservation and research actions underway
No targeted actions are known, although the Volcán de Miravalles is designated a 'protective zone'.
Conservation and research actions needed
Carry out targeted searches for the species on the Volcán de Miravalles and throughout the Tilarán Highlands (Kirwan and Collar 2016).
Text account compilers
Everest, J.
Contributors
Butchart, S., Ekstrom, J., Symes, A., Westrip, J.R.S. & Young, B.E.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Guanacaste Hummingbird Amazilia alfaroana. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/guanacaste-hummingbird-amazilia-alfaroana on 23/12/2024.
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 23/12/2024.