Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
Moderate declines have led to local extinctions in parts of the species' range. Available habitat in the moderately small range is declining in extent and quality, and the population is at high risk from introduced nest parasites. The species is therefore assessed as Near Threatened.
Population justification
Distance sampling during 2015-2022 produced the following population estimates (all data from CDRS Landbird Project 2023, unpublished data): On Pinzón, the species is common with c. 2,800 pairs (2,000-3,900 pairs). Likewise, it is common on Pinta with 3,060 pairs (2,100-4,500 pairs). On Rabida, the species is fairly common with 220 pairs (130-350 pairs). The population on Marchena is restricted to several patches of dry forest, numbering 500 pairs (30-940 pairs). The population on Fernandina numbers at most 2,500 pairs, though likely less. Isabela holds a population of 15,000 pairs (11,500-20,500 pairs) on Alcedo volcano, of 1,400 pairs (900-2,300 pairs) on Wolf volcano, and of 850 pairs (550-1,500 pairs) on Darwin volcano; the population on Sierra Negra volcano has declined rapidly to 50-200 pairs, while the population on Cerro Azul volcano is likely extinct. The population on Santiago was likely always small; based on the availability of suitable habitat there may be a population of up to 100 pairs left. On Santa Cruz, the species may have numbered several thousand individuals until the 1960s, but a drastic decline left only c. 30 mature individuals in 2023. Once common on Floreana, it now may no longer persist there. It is also presumably extinct on Santa Fé.
Based on this information, the total population is estimated at c. 26,000 pairs (range 18,000-36,000) (CDRS Landbird Project 2023). This equates to 52,000 mature individuals (range 36,000-72,000 mature individuals).
Trend justification
The species is undergoing a decline, which has likely already led to local extinctions on Floreana and Santa Fé and parts of Isabela, and to a very small population size on Santa Cruz (Wiedenfeld 2006, Merlen 2013, Carmi et al. 2016).
On Isabela, rapid declines were detected on Sierra Negra volcano, at a rate of about 80% over ten years (CDRS Landbird Project 2023). Based on this rate of decline, the current population of 50-200 pairs may have numbered c. 240-1,000 pairs in 2013. The species appears to remain common at Alcedo, Darwin and Wolf volcanoes (CDRS Landbird Project 2023), with probably only slow declines or even stable populations. Therefore, under the very precautionary assumption that the population is declining slowly or moderately rapidly at Alcedo, Darwin and Wolf, the overall population declines on the island are suspected at 20-29% over ten years, though declines could likely be slower.
The original population on Santa Cruz may have been several thousands, with declines from the 1960s onward to c. 30 mature individuals in 2023 (CDRS Landbird Project 2023). Assuming that the population numbered c.20,000 mature individuals in 1960 and has been undergoing an exponential decline since then, past declines amount to 65% over ten years, here precautionarily placed in the band 50-79% over ten years. Once commonly recorded on Floreana, the species was sighted until 2007, with the last confirmed record in 2015 (Dvorak et al. 2017, 2021). While it cannot be ruled out that the species still persists on this island (Dvorak et al. 2021), local declines are precautionarily placed in the band 90-99% over the past ten years, with the population now likely stabilising at extremely low numbers. The most recent observational records from Santa Fé date to 2005 (eBird 2023) and the species may now be extinct there. Consequently, the population trend over the past ten years is not assessed.
There are no trend data from other occupied islands, but based on the species' sensitivity to Philornis downsi (e.g., Mosquera et al. 2022) it cannot be ruled out that the populations are undergoing slow declines. Consequently, assuming extremely rapid declines (90-99% over ten years) on Floreana, very rapid declines (50-79% over ten years) on Santa Cruz, moderately rapid declines (20-29% over ten years) on Isabela, and slow declines (1-19% over ten years) on all other islands, the overall population may be declining roughly at a rate of 21% over ten years. To account for uncertainty, this is here placed in the band 20-29% over ten years (see also Freile et al. 2019).
Pyrocephalus nanus is found throughout the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, apart from San Cristóbal. The species is possibly extinct on Floreana and Santa Fé (Wiedenfeld 2006, Merlen 2013, Carmi et al. 2016, Dvorak et al. 2021) and in serious decline on Santa Cruz (Wiedenfeld 2006, Merlen 2013).
The species occurs in relatively humid areas in the highlands, where it is typically found in Scalesia, Tournefortia and Zanthoxylum forest and along forest borders. It feeds on a variety of insects, often snatching them and feeding on the wing. Breeding takes place during the warm and wet season in December - May. Nests are made of mosses and lichens and placed in trees and bushes; clutches contain three eggs.
Major threats to the species include habitat loss for agricultural conversion and parasitism of nests by the invasive Philornis fly (Wiedenfeld 2006, Merlen 2013, Bulgarella et al. 2019, Jiménez-Uzcátegui et al. 2019, Mosquera et al. 2022). Introduced predators such as rats and cats are not thought to impact the population, given that the species has disappeared from islands without introduced predators, but is persisting on other islands where these predators have been introduced (Wiedenfeld 2006). It is not known whether diseases or the application of pesticides for agriculture contribute to population declines (Wiedenfeld 2006, Merlen 2013, Jiménez-Uzcátegui et al. 2019).
Conservation and Research Actions Underway
The species' entire range is protected within Galapagos National Park.
Conservation and Research Actions Proposed
Monitor the population trend. Conduct research to better understand the threats affecting this species, in particular the impacts of the Philornis fly and of introduced predators.
Restore habitat. Control the invasive Philornis fly.
Text account compilers
Hermes, C.
Contributors
Butchart, S., Dvorak, M., Ekstrom, J., Fessl, B., Freile, J. & Khwaja, N.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Little Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus nanus. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/little-vermilion-flycatcher-pyrocephalus-nanus on 25/11/2024.
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 25/11/2024.