VU
Helmeted Curassow Pauxi pauxi



Taxonomy

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions 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.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - A2cd+3cd+4cd; C2a(i)

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2023 Vulnerable A2cd+3cd+4cd
2016 Endangered C2a(i)
2013 Endangered C2a(i)
2012 Endangered C2a(i)
2008 Endangered C2a(i)
2004 Vulnerable
2000 Vulnerable
1996 Endangered
1994 Endangered
1988 Threatened
Species attributes

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

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 143,000 km2 medium
Area of Occupancy (breeding/resident) 14,000 km2
Number of locations 11-100 -
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size 3500-12500 mature individuals poor inferred 2015
Population trend decreasing poor inferred 2010-2037
Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) 30-49% - - -
Rate of change over the future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) 30-49% - - -
Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) 30-49% - - -
Generation length 9 years - - -
Number of subpopulations 5-100 - - -
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation 1-89% - - -

Population justification: Formerly common, this species is now generally rare and occurs at low densities (Wege and Long 1995, Silva 1999). Based on observed densities of 4.8 individuals/km2 in Tamá National Natural Park, the population in Colombia is estimated at c.10,900 individuals, though this may be an overestimate; the population is therefore placed in the band 2,500-9,999 mature individuals (Renjfo et al. 2014). The population in Venezuela is suspected to number 1,000-2,499 mature individuals (Rojas-Suárez et al. 2015). The global population may therefore number roughly 3,500-12,500 mature individuals.

Trend justification: Once common across its range, the population has declined considerably; it is reportedly observed less frequently in recent years and has even suffered local extinctions (Renjifo et al. 2014, Rojas-Suárez et al. 2015, del Hoyo and Kirwan 2020, T. Donegan in litt. 2023). The principal drivers of the decline are thought to be intense hunting pressure and habitat loss (del Hoyo and Kirwan 2020).
The rate of decline has not been quantified across the range. Within its altitudinal range, about 6% of tree cover has been lost since 2000 (Global Forest Watch 2022, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein), which roughly equates to a decline of 8% over the past three generations (27 years). Given the species' strict dependence on interior forest and sensitivity to fragmented and edge habitat, habitat loss may have caused population declines at a higher rate than tree cover loss alone suggests. By now, the species is largely restricted to protected areas (Rojas-Suárez et al. 2015). The impact of hunting has not been quantified; hunting pressure is however described as intense and ongoing even within protected areas (Renjifo et al. 2014,  Rojas-Suárez et al. 2015). In Colombia, it is suspected that the population has declined by >50% over 40 years (Renjifo et al. 2014), which is equivalent to a decline of 37% over three generations. Assuming that this rate is representative for the entire range, it is suspected that the combined impacts of hunting and habitat loss are causing overall population declines at a rate of 30-49% over three generations, though an accurate quantification of the population trend is urgently required.


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
Colombia extant native yes
Venezuela extant native yes

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
Colombia Parque Nacional Natural El Cocuy
Colombia Parque Nacional Natural Tamá
Colombia Serranía de los Yariguíes
Venezuela Dinira National Park and surrounding areas (Refugio de Fauna Silvestre y Reserva de Pesca Parque Nacional Dinira IBA)
Venezuela Henri Pittier National Park (Parque Nacional Henri Pittier IBA)
Venezuela Parque Nacional El Ávila and surrounding areas
Venezuela Parque Nacional El Tamá
Venezuela Parque Nacional Guaramacal
Venezuela Parque Nacional Guatopo
Venezuela Parque Nacional Macarao
Venezuela Parque Nacional Páramos Batallón y La Negra and surrounding areas
Venezuela Parque Nacional Perijá
Venezuela Parque Nacional San Esteban
Venezuela Parque Nacional Sierra La Culata
Venezuela Parque Nacional Sierra Nevada
Venezuela Parque Nacional Tapo-Caparo
Venezuela Parque Nacional Terepaima
Venezuela Parque Nacional Yacambú
Venezuela Zona Protectora San Rafael de Guasare

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane major resident
Altitude 500 - 2260 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Threats & impact
Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & aquaculture Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Agro-industry farming Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Low Impact: 4
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
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 - Agro-industry 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 Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target) Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Rapid Declines Medium Impact: 7
Stresses
Species mortality
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, Ecosystem conversion

Utilisation
Purpose Scale
Food - human subsistence, national
Handicrafts, jewellery, etc. subsistence, national

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Helmeted Curassow Pauxi pauxi. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/helmeted-curassow-pauxi-pauxi 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.