LC
Rufous-necked Foliage-gleaner Syndactyla ruficollis



Taxonomy

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.
SACC. 2005 and updates. A classification of the bird species of South America. Available at: https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - -

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2024 Least Concern
2016 Vulnerable A2c+3c+4c;B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)
2012 Vulnerable A2c+3c+4c;B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)
2008 Vulnerable A2c; A3c; A4c; B1a+b(i,ii,iii,iv,v)
2004 Vulnerable
2000 Vulnerable
1996 Vulnerable
1994 Vulnerable
1988 Threatened
Species attributes

Migratory status not a migrant Forest dependency high
Land-mass type continent
Average mass -
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 41,700 km2 medium
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size 12000-20000 mature individuals poor suspected 2023
Population trend decreasing poor inferred 2017-2027
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 3.08 years - - -
Number of subpopulations 2-10 - - -
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation 1-89% - - -

Population justification: The population size has not been quantified. Density has not been reported, but the congener S. ucayalae has been recorded at between 4.7 and 7.7 individuals per square kilometer in south-east Peru (Lloyd 2004). Based on the distribution of records and noting that the species is uncommon, if only 20% of the modelled area of suitable habitat (12,786 km2 [M. Sanchez-Nivicela in litt. 2024]) is occupied, the population can be inferred to be between 12,000 and 19,700 mature individuals. This is in line with the assessment of the species' status in Ecuador, which judged the population to fall between 2,500-9,999 mature individuals (see Freile et al. 2019). Ecuador holds roughly 20% of the mapped global distribution, hence a crude scaling of this gives a suspected number of 12,500-49,999 mature individuals. Tentatively the species population is suspected to fall between 12,000-20,000 mature individuals.

Trend justification: This species is declining; while in the past it was described as fairly common to common, it is now considered uncommon and local (Jiggins et al. 1999, Schulenberg et al. 2007, Freile and Restall 2018). The Ecuadorian assessment also recognised that there was a continuing decline in mature individuals (Freile et al. 2019).
Declines are thought to be caused by habitat destruction. Within the range, tree cover is lost at a rate of 2% over ten years (Global Forest Watch 2023, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein). This value however does not account for the additional impacts of forest degradation and fragmentation. Considering this, rates of population declines are possibly higher than the rate of tree cover loss alone suggests. Tentatively, population declines are here placed in the band 1-9% over ten years, noting that the trend rate may vary locally.


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

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
Ecuador Alamor-Celica
Ecuador Bosque Protector Jatumpamba-Jorupe
Ecuador Cañón del río Catamayo
Ecuador Catacocha
Ecuador Cazaderos-Mangaurquillo
Ecuador La Tagua
Ecuador Reserva Comunal Bosque de Angashcola
Ecuador Tambo Negro
Ecuador Utuana-Bosque de Hanne
Peru Alto Valle del Saña
Peru Bosque de Cuyas
Peru Chiñama
Peru Laquipampa
Peru Parque Nacional Cerros de Amotape
Peru Suyo-La Tina

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Artificial/Terrestrial Subtropical/Tropical Heavily Degraded Former Forest suitable resident
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Dry major resident
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland major resident
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane major resident
Altitude 400 - 2900 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Threats & impact
Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & aquaculture Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Small-holder farming Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Declines Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem conversion
Agriculture & aquaculture Livestock farming & ranching - Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Declines Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use Logging & wood harvesting - Unintentional effects: (subsistence/small scale) [harvest] Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Declines Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Rufous-necked Foliage-gleaner Syndactyla ruficollis. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/rufous-necked-foliage-gleaner-syndactyla-ruficollis on 23/11/2024.
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 23/11/2024.