Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species is restricted to a small range, in which forests are lost and degraded slowly. For these reasons the species is classified as Near Threatened.
Population justification
The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is described as 'fairly common' (Stotz et al. 1996).
Trend justification
The population trend has not been investigated. Within the range, tree cover is lost slowly (<2% over ten years; Global Forest Watch 2022, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein). The species prefers wet primary forest, but is sometimes also found in scrub habitat (Heynen and Boesman 2020). As such, the current low rate of habitat loss may not be affecting the population, which is consequently suspected to be stable.
Haplophaedia lugens occurs on the Pacific slope of the Andes in south-western Colombia (Nariño) and north-western Ecuador (south to Pichincha and Santo Domingo).
It occurs in very wet premontane to montane evergreen forest, forest edge and occasionally scrub, at 1,200-2,000 m (Hilty and Brown 1986, Salaman 1994, Parker et al. 1996, D. Becker in litt. 2014). It is typically found in low, dense vegetation at small clearings or along ridges in primary forest, frequently near small streams, generally at lower altitudes than H. aureliae (del Hoyo et al. 1999).
Due to its dependence on wet montane forests, the species is threatened by habitat loss throughout its range. Logging and forest degradation are taking place due to conversion for human settlement, cattle-grazing, mining, as well as coca and palm cultivation (Salaman 1994, Dinerstein et al. 1995). Overall, tree cover loss is low within the range and large tracts of forests remain (Global Forest Watch 2022). Historically, the species was taken for trade (Collar and Andrew 1988).
Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix II. It is listed as Vulnerable at the national level in Ecuador (Freile et al. 2019) and as Near Threatened in Colombia (Renjifo et al. 2014). It occurs in several protected areas in the range, including La Planada Nature Reserve, Colombia and Cotacachi-Cayapas Ecological Reserve, Ecuador.
Text account compilers
Hermes, C.
Contributors
Becker, D., Benstead, P., Brinkhuizen, D., Capper, D., Cortés, O., Lebbin, D., Symes, A. & Taylor, J.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Hoary Puffleg Haplophaedia lugens. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/hoary-puffleg-haplophaedia-lugens 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.