Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species has a large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence under 20,000 km² combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population size may be moderately small to large, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (under 10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be over 10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (over 30% decline over ten years or three generations). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Population justification
The species has a large global population estimated to be approaching 50,000 individuals (Strahl et al. 1994). This species is considered to have a high dependency on forest habitat, and tree cover is estimated to have declined by 7% within its mapped range over the past three generations (Global Forest Watch 2022, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein). It is therefore tentatively suspected that this rate of cover loss may have led to a decline of between 1-19% in the species' population size over the same time frame, with a best estimate of reduction being 5-9%.
Trend justification
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This species occurs in south-central Colombia, east Ecuador and north-east Peru (Strahl et al. 1994). There are few records from Colombia, although it is found regularly in areas well away from human settlements and is fairly common in Macarena National Park. It is present throughout Amazonian Ecuador but in low numbers: a density of 3.8 birds/km2 has been estimated in terre firme forest with low hunting pressure, whereas in forest with moderate hunting levels a density of only 1.6 birds/km2 was calculated. In Peru, it has declined around human settlements and is reported to be rare near Iquitos but fairly common in other areas (Ortiz-Tejada and O'Neill 1997). It is found in Macarena National Park, Colombia, and Yasuni National Park and Jatun Sacha Reserve, Ecuador.
The species inhabits humid terre firme forest, apparently avoiding flooded areas (del Hoyo et al. 1994). It is usually found in primary forest with flat or slightly undulating relief at elevations of up to 600 m in Colombia (del Hoyo et al. 1994, Hilty and Brown 1986). In a study in the Macarena Mountains birds associated in pairs all year round, and appeared to have overlapping home ranges with loose territoriality. Two eggs are laid (del Hoyo et al. 1994). It feeds mainly on fallen fruit and seeds, but apparently has a rather diverse diet (del Hoyo et al. 1994).
The species suffers from heavy hunting pressure, mainly for local food consumption, and has been recorded for sale at a market in Iquitos (Strahl et al. 1994, del Hoyo et al. 1994). Habitat destruction and fragmentation is only locally significant (del Hoyo et al. 1994).
Text account compilers
Rutherford, C.A.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Salvin's Curassow Mitu salvini. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/salvins-curassow-mitu-salvini 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.