Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species is suspected to have a small population, which is inferred to be experiencing a rapid decline owing to habitat loss and fragmentation. It is consequently classified as Near Threatened.
Population justification
This species appears to exist at very low densities, prompting Ferguson-Lees and Christie (2001) to infer that the total population is unlikely to exceed the uppermost hundreds; however, this seems very conservative given its extensive range. The population size is therefore suspected to fall within the band 2,500-9,999 mature individuals, pending further research. The subpopulation structure is not known, but the species has a high dispersal ability and is assumed to have a single subpopulation.
Trend justification
This species's population is suspected to be undergoing a moderately rapid decline owing to continued habitat loss. Over the period 2000-2020, approximately 14% of tree cover with at least 30% canopy cover was lost from within the species's range (Global Forest Watch 2021). Extrapolating these data, it is estimated that approximately 16% of tree cover was lost from the species's range over the past three generations (22 years) and approximately 19% of tree cover will be lost from the species's range over the next three generations. Although this species tolerates some forest degradation, it is usually found in areas of well-preserved forest, and it may also suffer from some persecution (Sick 1997). Allowing a margin of uncertainty, the population size is suspected to be declining at a range of approximately 10-25% over three generations.
Pseudastur polionotus is rare to locally fairly common in east Brazil (Pernambuco to Rio Grande do Sul) (A. E. Rupp in litt. 2011). A claim for its occurrence in east Uruguay may have been erroneous (Bierregaard et al. 2020, J. Biagorria in litt. 2020). There are historic records from Paraguay, but a claimed record from 1989 (Hayes and Tamayo 1992, Hayes 1995) may have been erroneous ( J. Biagorria in litt. 2020) and since recent extensive fieldwork has failed to record the species, it may be nationally extinct. There are several recent records from Misiones, Argentina (Olrog 1985, Baigorria and Foletto 2013, Baigorria in litt. 2020), which probably relate to vagrant individuals (J. Baigorria in litt. 2020).
It occurs in lowland and mid-elevation humid forests, especially in foothills. It appears to be fairly sensitive to forest degradation (Franz et al. 2014), and is usually observed in well-preserved areas of forest, but it has also been recorded in secondary growth, degraded forest and pine and cocoa plantations (Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001, A. E. Rupp in litt. 2011, De Almeida-Rocha 2019). It is found at sea-level to at least 1,500 m (probably mainly above 500 m) (Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001). It feeds on reptiles, amphibians, birds and small mammals.
Agricultural conversion and deforestation for mining and plantation production historically threatened its habitats (Fearnside 1996). Current key threats are urbanisation, industrialisation, agricultural expansion, dam construction for hydroelectricity, colonisation and associated road-building (Dinerstein et al. 1995; ICMBio 2008). It is sometimes persecuted by livestock farmers (Sick 1997).
Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix II. The species occurs in a large number of protected areas (ICMBio 2008).
Text account compilers
Wheatley, H.
Contributors
Canuto, M., Clay, R.P., Rupp, A.E., Benstead, P., Symes, A., Capper, D., Baigorria, J., Sharpe, C.J. & Taylor, J.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Mantled Hawk Pseudastur polionotus. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/mantled-hawk-pseudastur-polionotus on 26/11/2024.
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 26/11/2024.