Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species has a moderately small population. It is impacted by habitat loss and locally hunted for food and the pet trade, which are causing slow population declines. The species is therefore listed as Near Threatened.
Population justification
The species is described as uncommon and not numerous throughout its range (Collar et al. 2020). The population in Colombia is assumed to number just over 10,000 mature individuals (Renjifo et al. 2016), while the population in Venezuela was assessed at 2,500-9,999 mature individuals (Sharpe 2008). The population in Panama has not been quantified, but is likely very small. The global population is therefore here placed in the band 10,000-19,999 mature individuals.
Given its high dispersal abilities, the species is assessed as forming one subpopulation (Renjifo et al. 2016).
Trend justification
The species is declining slowly and is now probably locally extinct in the Central Andes near Bogotá (Collar et al. 2020). The main cause for the decline is the loss of its favoured forest habitat (T. Donegan in litt. 2006; Collar et al. 2020). Throughout the range, tree cover has been lost at a rate of 5% over the past three generations (12.3 years; Bird et al. 2020; Global Forest Watch 2021). The species is further locally hunted for food and traded as a cagebird in low numbers (Sharpe 2008; Renjifo et al. 2016; Collar et al. 2020). The rate of population decline is therefore tentatively placed in the band 1-9% over three generations.
Pyrilia pyrilia occurs in east Darién, Panama, north Colombia and north-west Venezuela. There are two records from north-west Ecuador, a presumed wandering pair in Cotacachi-Cayapas National Park and a flock of c. 20 in Pedro Vicente Maldonado, north-west Pichincha (Ridgely and Greenfield 2001), but its status is unclear (J. F. Freile in litt. 2000; Ridgely and Greenfield 2001; Collar et al. 2020).
It is generally rare, but remains common in the Serranía de las Quinchas, (Boyacá), and at Cerro de la Paz (Santander) (Donegan et al. 2003), Colombia and is unlikely to have declined significantly in Chocó, Colombia, or Darién (G. R. Angehr in litt. 1999; G. Stiles in litt. 1999). There are few recent records, but it may still be numerous at the northern base of the Andes, Cordoba, northern Antioquia and Bolívar, and in the Magdalena valley, east Caldas and south-east Antioquia, Colombia (Hilty and Brown 1986; A. Cuervo in litt. 1999). In Venezuela it is recorded in Mérida, Táchira, Barinas, Lara and the Sierra de Perijá (Sharpe 2008).
It inhabits humid and wet forest, forest edge and tall secondary growth up to c.900-1,000 m (Hilty and Brown 1986; Collar et al. 2020). Most records come from mature forest (P. Salaman in litt. 2006). It presumably undertakes altitudinal migrations, moving seasonally to cloud forest as high as 1,700 m (Hilty 2003; Renjifo et al. 2016). Specimens in breeding condition have been taken during March-June in Colombia, with juveniles seen in July in the Serranía de Perijá (Hilty and Brown 1986).
The most severe threat to the species is the loss and degradation of its forest habitat. Forest loss has been occurring in the Magdalena valley in Colombia for at least four centuries, but accelerated markedly throughout the 20th century (Stiles et al. 1999). Most forest on the eastern slopes of the Serranía de San Lucas has been lost since 1996 (A. Cuervo in litt. 1999; L. Dávalos in litt. 1999; P. G. W. Salaman in litt. 1999). Recent estimates show that tree cover within the range is lost at a rate of 5% over three generations (Global Forest Watch 2021). Forest is mainly logged for settlement, agriculture and mining (Cuervo and Salaman 1999; A. Cuervo in litt. 1999; L. Dávalos in litt. 1999; P. G. W. Salaman in litt. 1999; Stiles et al. 1999).
Locally, individuals are captured for the pet trade (G. Stiles in litt. 1999; Snyder et al. 2000; Sharpe 2008; Renjifo et al. 2016). In Sierra de Perijá, Venezuela, it is also hunted for food (C. J. Sharpe in litt. 2011).
Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix II. The species occurs in several protected areas throughout its range. It is listed as Near Threatened at the national level in Colombia (Renjifo et al. 2016) and as Vulnerable in Venezuela (Sharpe 2008).
24 cm. Striking, green parrot with yellow head. Mostly green with bright yellow head (washed orange behind eye), white orbital patch and dusky lores and nares, yellow shoulders, blackish primaries, red carpal area and underwing-coverts, brown breast-band, red flanks, yellow thighs and green tail with dusky blue tip. Immature has green head, shoulders and carpal area. Similar spp. Adult Brown-hooded Parrot P. haematotis lacks yellow head and immature has dull brown on crown. Sympatric Pionus spp. are larger, have a different flight action, red undertail-coverts and lack the yellow head. Voice Reedy cheweek.
Text account compilers
Hermes, C.
Contributors
Angehr, G., Benstead, P., Bird, J., Butchart, S., Cuervo, A., Donegan, T., Dávalos, L., Freile, J., Harding, M., Isherwood, I., Rodríguez, J.-P., Rojas-Suárez, F., Salaman, P.G.W., Sharpe, C.J., Sharpe, C J, Stiles, F.G., Stuart, T. & Symes, A.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Saffron-headed Parrot Pyrilia pyrilia. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/saffron-headed-parrot-pyrilia-pyrilia 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.