• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
SACC. 2005 and updates. A classification of the bird species of South America. Available at: https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm.

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
-	-	-

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2022	Near Threatened	C2a(i)
2016	Endangered	A3c; B1ab(i,ii,iii,v)
2013	Endangered	B1ab(i,ii,iii,v)
2012	Endangered	B1ab(i,ii,iii,v)
2008	Endangered	B1a+b(i,ii,iii,v)
2004	Endangered
2000	Endangered
1996	Vulnerable
1994	Vulnerable
1988	Threatened

Migratory status	not a migrant	Forest dependency	medium
Land-mass type	continent	Average mass	4 g

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	64,000 km2	medium

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	3000-8999 mature individuals	poor	inferred	2021
Population trend	decreasing	poor	suspected	2016-2026
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	2.3 years	-	-	-
Number of subpopulations	2-100	-	-	-
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation	1-89%	-	-	-

Population justification:

The population in Ecuador is estimated at 2,500 individuals (Freile et al. 2011). The population in Peru is suspected to number 2,500-10,000 individuals (SERFOR 2018). Combining national population sizes, it is precautionarily inferred that the global population may number 5,000-12,500 individuals, roughly converted to 3,000-8,999 mature individuals. This however requires confirmation. 

Trend justification: This species is in decline as a consequence of the loss and fragmentation of its habitat. Tree cover loss within the species range equates to <2% over ten years (Global Forest Watch 2021, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein). And although the species can inhabit stunted forest on poor, sandy soils that do not support agriculture or cattle ranching, it is not considered to inhabit completely deforested areas (Heynen et al. 2020). For these reasons, the species is suspected to be undergoing a rate of decline equating 1-9% over three generations.

Country/Territory	Presence	Origin	Resident	Breeding visitor	Non-breeding visitor	Passage migrant
Ecuador	extant	native	yes
Peru	extant	native	yes

Country/Territory	IBA Name
Peru	Abra Patricia - Alto Mayo
Peru	Cordillera de Colán
Peru	Jesús del Monte
Peru	Parque Nacional Cordillera Azul
Peru	San Jose de Lourdes

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland	suitable	resident
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane	major	resident
Shrubland	Subtropical/Tropical High Altitude	major	resident
Altitude	550 - 2200 m	Occasional altitudinal limits

Threat (level 1)	Threat (level 2)	Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Agro-industry farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Causing/Could cause fluctuations		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use	Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target)	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Unknown		Unknown		Unknown
		Stresses Species disturbance, Species mortality
Energy production & mining	Mining & quarrying	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Causing/Could cause fluctuations		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Indirect ecosystem effects, Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Transportation & service corridors	Roads & railroads	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Causing/Could cause fluctuations		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion

Purpose	Scale
Pets/display animals, horticulture	international

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Royal Sunangel Heliangelus regalis. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/royal-sunangel-heliangelus-regalis on 22/11/2024.
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 22/11/2024.