Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
Based on accelerating rates of deforestation in the Amazon basin, it is suspected that the population of this parakeet is undergoing a moderately rapid decline. It is therefore listed as Near Threatened.
Population justification
The global population size is unknown given recent taxonomic splits.
Trend justification
The species is undergoing a decline as a consequence of the loss and degradation of its forest habitat. Over the past ten years, 11% of tree cover was lost within the range (Global Forest Watch 2021, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein). Even though the species shows some tolerance of forest fragmentation (P. Salaman in litt. 2020), it can be assumed that population declines were aggravated by habitat degradation. It is here tentatively suspected that forest degradation proceeded at half the rate of tree cover loss, so that the total habitat loss amounted to 16-17% over the last ten years. Assuming that population declines are roughly equivalent to habitat loss, the population may have declined by 10-19% over the last ten years. Since 2016, tree cover loss has been accelerating to a rate equivalent to 15% over ten years (Global Forest Watch 2021, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein). Under the same assumption that forest degradation is likewise accelerating to 50% of the rate of tree cover loss, i.e. to 7-8% over three generations, the overall rate of habitat loss may currently be 22-23% over ten years. Consequently, the population may currently be declining at 20-29% over ten years.
Pyrrhura amazonum occurs in central and south-eastern Amazonian Brazil south of the Amazon. It is found from the Rio Tapajós in Para east to the Rio Tocantins. It occurs north and east of P. snethlagae.
The species inhabits lowland humid 'terra firme' forest, seasonally flooded 'várzea' forest and forest edge (del Hoyo et al. 2020). It can be found in highly fragmented forests and thus appears to tolerate some habitat conversion (P. Salaman in litt. 2020). The species presumably feeds on fruits, seeds, flower and insects (del Hoyo et al. 2020), but its ecology is not well known.
The primary threat to this species is accelerating deforestation in the Amazon basin as land is cleared for cattle ranching and soy production, facilitated by expansion of the road network (Soares-Filho et al. 2006, Bird et al. 2011). Changes to the Brazilian Forest Code reduced the percentage of land a private landowner is legally required to maintain as forest (including, critically, a reduction in the width of forest buffers alongside perennial steams) and include an amnesty for landowners who deforested before July 2008 (Bird et al. 2011). There is currently no evidence that the species is suffering from trapping pressure (R. Subirá in litt. 2022).
Conservation and Research Actions Underway
CITES Appendix II. The species occurs in several protected areas throughout its range, including Ilha do Bananal/Cantão Environmental Protection Area, Carajás and Tapajós national forests and Xikrin do Rio Catete Indigenous Reserve (P. Salaman in litt. 2020).
Conservation and Research Actions Proposed
Quantify the population size. Investigate the species's ecology, behaviour and subpopulation structure. Research threats to the species. Monitor the population trend. Monitor rates of habitat loss. Expand the protected area network to effectively protect key sites. Effectively manage existing and new protected areas, utilising emerging opportunities to finance protected area management with the joint aims of reducing carbon emissions and maximizing biodiversity conservation. Incentivise conservation on private lands through expanding market pressures for sound land management and preventing forest clearance on lands unsuitable for agriculture (Soares-Filho et al. 2006).
22 cm. One of the medium-sized, long-tailed, largely green parakeets formerly included within P. picta.
Text account compilers
Hermes, C.
Contributors
Butchart, S., Ekstrom, J., Khwaja, N., Lees, A., Mendes Lima, D., Salaman, P., Sharpe, C.J., Subirá, R., Symes, A. & Taylor, J.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Santarem Parakeet Pyrrhura amazonum. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/santarem-parakeet-pyrrhura-amazonum on 22/12/2024.
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 22/12/2024.