VU
Rockefeller's Sunbird Cinnyris rockefelleri



Taxonomy

Taxonomic note

Cinnyris rockefelleri (del Hoyo and Collar 2016) was previously placed in the genus Nectarinia following Dowsett & Forbes-Watson (1993); Sibley & Monroe (1990, 1993).

 

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)

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2021 Vulnerable C2a(i)
2016 Vulnerable D1
2012 Vulnerable D1
2008 Vulnerable D1
2006 Vulnerable
2004 Vulnerable
2000 Vulnerable
1996 Vulnerable
1994 Vulnerable
1988 Threatened
Species attributes

Migratory status not a migrant Forest dependency does not normally occur in forest
Land-mass type continent
Average mass -
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 16,000 km2 medium
Number of locations 20-100 -
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size 1100-11900 mature individuals poor estimated 2000
Population trend decreasing poor inferred 2018-2028
Rate of change over the future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) 10-20% - - -
Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) 10-20% - - -
Generation length 2.4 years - - -
Number of subpopulations 2-3 - - -
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation 1-89% - - -

Population justification: Owing to its degree of habitat specialisation, taking the lower density quartiles of 4 other sunbird congeners, including two Cinnyris species that also inhabit forests and woodlands, Northern Double-collared Sunbird and Variable Sunbird, of 2-21 individuals/sqkm (BirdLife Population Density Spreadsheet; Vernon 1985; Shaw and Shrewry 2001), and assuming that it inhabits 10% of the forest within its range (8,490 sqkm [Global Forest Watch 2021]), the population may fall into the range of 1,698 – 17,829 individuals. This is roughly equivalent to 1,132 – 11,886 mature individuals, rounded here to 1,100 – 11,900 mature individuals. Based on its current distribution map, it may have 2-3 subpopulations. It is therefore possible that the largest subpopulation holds <1,000 mature individuals.

Trend justification: Although little information is available, this species is inferred to be declining based on range contractions from climate change as modelled by Ayebare et al. (2018).


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
Burundi presence uncertain native
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the extant native yes
Rwanda presence uncertain native

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Forests west of Lake Edward
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Itombwe Mountains
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Kahuzi-Biega National Park
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Virunga National Park
Rwanda Nyungwe National Park

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Grassland Subtropical/Tropical High Altitude major resident
Shrubland Subtropical/Tropical High Altitude major resident
Altitude 2050 - 3300 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Threats & impact
Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses
Biological resource use Logging & wood harvesting - Unintentional effects: (large scale) [harvest] Timing Scope Severity Impact
Future Unknown Unknown Unknown
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Climate change & severe weather Habitat shifting & alteration Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Whole (>90%) Negligible declines Medium Impact: 6
Stresses
Indirect ecosystem effects, Ecosystem degradation
Energy production & mining Mining & quarrying Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Low Impact: 4
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Human intrusions & disturbance Work & other activities Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Low Impact: 4
Stresses
Species disturbance, Ecosystem degradation

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Rockefeller's Sunbird Cinnyris rockefelleri. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/rockefellers-sunbird-cinnyris-rockefelleri on 07/12/2024.
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 07/12/2024.