Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
Forest is being lost rapidly from across this species's range. Although it may be able to tolerate some forest loss and the impact of forest loss on the species's population is uncertain, there are indications that the species has disappeared from some areas and that its abundance has declined in others. In addition, the species is widely hunted, and surveys have found that its abundance is lower in areas where hunting occurs. It is therefore precautionarily assumed that the species's population size may be undergoing a moderately fast decline and for this reason it is listed as Near Threatened.
Population justification
It is fairly common in parts of its range, but has been extirpated or declined in other areas (del Hoyo and Kirwan 2020). Surveys in 2011-2012 in the Araripe National Forest, Ceará, Brazil found a population density of 19.17 individuals/km2 (14.55-25.48; Thel et al. 2015). Surveys in the Atlantic Forest in Espírito Santo, Brazil produced an estimated density of 15 individuals per km2 (Pereira-Ribeiro et al. 2018).
Based on the above population densities, an estimated area of habitat in 2010 of 2,841,000 km2 and assuming between 10 and 40% of habitat is occupied, the population size is tentatively suspected to fall within the range 4,000,000 - 29,000,000 individuals, roughly equating to 2,000,000 - 20,000,000 mature individuals. The subpopulation structure is not known, but there are four subspecies, indicating at least four subpopulations, and there are probably many more.
Trend justification
It has declined or disappeared in some parts of the range, including the area around Belém and Santarém, Pará, where it has not been recorded since the 1960s, and eastern Paraguay, where it has declined due to deforestation (del Hoyo and Kirwan 2020). The subspecies P. s. alagoensis is thought to be declining due to hunting and habitat loss (Marques et al. 2018). In Misiones, Argentina, field surveys conducted over several years up to 2021 have reported a smaller number of sightings than previous surveys, even in protected areas (C. I. Miño in litt. 2021).
Over 19 years from 2001-2020, approximately 17% of 2010 tree cover with at least 30% canopy cover was lost from within the species's range (Global Forest Watch 2021). Extrapolating over three generations into the future, it is projected that 20% of tree cover will be lost from the species's range. Based on the rate of tree cover loss that occurred over five years from 2016-2020 (Global Forest Watch 2021), it is projected that up to 23% of tree cover may be lost from the species's range over the next 19 years.
This species is tolerant of fragmentation and secondary forest (dos Anjos 2006, Loures-Ribeiro et al. 2011, del Hoyo and Kirwan 2020), so its population size may not be declining at the same rate as habitat loss. However, its abundance may also locally be impacted by hunting in parts of the range (Peres et al. 2003, Pereira-Ribeiro et al. 2018).
Assuming that rates of decline may be between 10% lower and 5% higher than the estimated rates of forest loss, the species's population size is suspected to have declined by 7-22% over the past three generations, and it is projected to decline by 10-28% over the next three generations.
Penelope superciliaris occurs throughout much of eastern Brazil, Paraguay, eastern Bolivia, and extreme northeast Argentina. The nominate subspecies occurs in north-central and eastern Brazil, south of the the Amazon river. Subspecies jacupemba occurs in central and southern Brazil and eastern Bolivia. Subspecies major occurs in eastern Paraguay, northeast Argentina and southeast Brazil. Subspecies alagoensis occurs in northeast Brazil.
It is a species of tropical and subtropical forest, including humid forests, secondary forest, forest edge, semi-deciduous woodland, gallery forest, coastal restinga, caatinga, mangroves, dry chaco scrub, eucalyptus plantations and forest patches within cerrado (del Hoyo and Kirwan 2020). It is tolerant of forest fragmentation and is able to persist in very small forest fragments (dos Anjos 2006, del Hoyo and Kirwan 2020). In Minas Gerais, it was recorded at higher abundances in secondary forest than in primary forest (Loures-Ribeiro et al. 2011). It feeds mainly on fruits, including those of bicuiba (Virola), sapacaia (Lecythis), murici (Byrsonima), aricanga palm (Geonoma), guarumo (Cecropia), Schinus, Psidium, Syagrus and Byrbicuiba, as well as some exotic species (del Hoyo and Kirwan 2020). It also feeds on insects, flowers and leaves (Zaca et al. 2006, del Hoyo and Kirwan 2020).
Rapid deforestation is ongoing across the species's range, largely for conversion to crops and pastureland, as well as for road-building. The species occurs in a wide variety of habitat, is tolerant of forest fragmentation and is able to persist in very small forest fragments (dos Anjos 2006, del Hoyo and Kirwan 2020). In Minas Gerais, it was recorded at higher abundances in secondary forest than in primary forest (Loures-Ribeiro et al. 2011). The impact of deforestation on the species is not well-known, and the species could conceivably benefit from habitat modification in some areas (A. Lees in litt. 2021). However, it requires some tree coverage and so it is likely to be impacted by tree cover loss eventually.
Additionally, it is widely hunted for food (Peres et al. 2003, Ribon et al. 2003, del Hoyo and Kirwan 2020), including in protected areas in Argentina (C. I. Miño in litt. 2021). Surveys in central Amazonia found that the abundance of Penelope spp. (including both Penelope superciliaris and P. pileata) was lower in hunted sites than in unhunted sites (Peres et al. 2003), and surveys in the Atlantic Forest in Espírito Santo, Brazil found that the species's detectability was negatively affected by poaching intensity (Pereira-Ribeiro et al. 2018). In Paraguay, it has disappeared from most forest fragments that experience hunting pressure (P. Smith in litt. 2021). Conversely, surveys in Sao Paulo, Brazil, found that the species's abundance was not related to hunting pressure (Cullen Jr. et al. 2000), and a study at an indigenous reserve in southeast Amazonia found that hunting was at sustainable levels (Peres and Nascimento 2006). The impact of hunting is considered to be negligible across much of the species's range in southern Brazil, but there may be local impacts (A. Lees in litt. 2021).
Conservation Actions Underway
It occurs in a number of protected areas. It is legally protected in Argentina. The subspecies P. s. alagoensis is listed as Critically Endangered in Brazil (ICMBio 2018) and is included in the National Action Plan for the Conservation of the Birds of the Atlantic Forest (ICMBio 2017). There is a captive breeding programme and individuals have been released into the wild in São Paulo, Brazil (del Hoyo and Kirwan 2020).
Conservation and Research Actions Proposed
Carry out surveys to assess the impacts of habitat loss and hunting on the species's population trend. Continue to monitor habitat loss.
Enforce existing protected areas and designate further protected areas. Enforce legislation against deforestation across its range.
Text account compilers
Wheatley, H.
Contributors
Ekstrom, J., Butchart, S., Miño, C.I., Lees, A. & Smith, P.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Rusty-margined Guan Penelope superciliaris. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/rusty-margined-guan-penelope-superciliaris on 23/12/2024.
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 23/12/2024.