EN
Hispaniolan Crossbill Loxia megaplaga



Taxonomy

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.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- C2a(i) B2ab(i,ii,iii,v); C2a(i)

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2020 Endangered C2a(i)
2018 Endangered C2a(i)
2016 Endangered B1ab(i,ii,iii)
2012 Endangered B1ab(i,ii,iii)
2008 Endangered B1a+b(i,ii,iii)
2004 Endangered
2000 Endangered
1994 Not Recognised
1988 Not Recognised
Species attributes

Migratory status not a migrant Forest dependency high
Land-mass type Average mass 29 g
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 31,800 km2 medium
Area of Occupancy (breeding/resident) 1,530 km2
Number of locations 11-100 -
Severely fragmented? yes -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size 1000-2300 mature individuals medium estimated 2020
Population trend decreasing poor inferred 2014-2024
Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) 1-9% - - -
Rate of change over the future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) 1-9% - - -
Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) 1-9% - - -
Generation length 2.5 years - - -
Number of subpopulations 2-100 - - -
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation 1-89% - - -

Population justification: The population is estimated to number 1,000-3,375 individuals following surveys in the Sierra de Baoruco between 1996-1999 (Latta et al. 2000, Hart 2020). This roughly equates to 750-2,300 mature individuals. Individual subpopulation sizes are unknown. It is tentatively assessed here that no subpopulation contains >250 mature individuals, but this may be an underestimate (see Hart 2020).

Trend justification: Numbers presumably declined between the mid-1920s and mid-1960s in response to habitat loss, but by 1978 the species was thought to be recovering (Woods and Ottenwalder 1986). Owing to agricultural encroachment into its habitat, the species is currently considered to be declining at a slow rate. Within the range, tree cover has been lost at a rate of 5% over the past ten years (Global Forest Watch 2020). Considering that the species is exclusively restricted to pine forest, population declines may be larger than the rate of tree cover loss, amounting to <10% over ten years. The population may additionally be fluctuating depending on food availability (Benkman 1994, Latta et al. 2000)


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
Dominican Republic extant native yes
Haiti extant native yes
Jamaica extant vagrant

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
Dominican Republic Armando Bermudez National Park
Dominican Republic Parque Nacional Dr Juan Bautista Pérez Rancier (Valle Nuevo)
Dominican Republic Sierra de Bahoruco National Park
Haiti Aux Becs-Croisés
Haiti Aux Diablotins

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane major resident
Altitude 540 - 2600 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 Unknown Unknown Unknown
Stresses
Ecosystem conversion
Agriculture & aquaculture Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Small-holder farming Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Declines Medium Impact: 6
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use Logging & wood harvesting - Unintentional effects: (subsistence/small scale) [harvest] Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Declines Medium Impact: 6
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Molothrus bonariensis Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Low Impact: 4
Stresses
Reduced reproductive success
Natural system modifications Fire & fire suppression - Trend Unknown/Unrecorded Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Declines Medium Impact: 6
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Hispaniolan Crossbill Loxia megaplaga. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/hispaniolan-crossbill-loxia-megaplaga 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.