• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions 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.

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
-	B1ab(i,ii,iii)	B1ab(i,ii,iii)+2ab(i,ii,iii); D2

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2023	Endangered	B1ab(i,ii,iii)
2016	Endangered	B1ab(ii,iii)
2012	Endangered	B1ab(ii,iii)
2008	Endangered	B1a+b(ii,iii)
2004	Vulnerable
2000	Vulnerable
1996	Critically Endangered
1994	Critically Endangered
1988	Threatened

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

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	610 km2	medium
Area of Occupancy (breeding/resident)	556 km2
Number of locations	4	-
Severely fragmented?	no	-

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	3000-4000 mature individuals	medium	estimated	2015
Population trend	decreasing	poor	suspected	2017-2027
Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	1-19%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	1-19%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	1-19%	-	-	-
Generation length	2.91 years	-	-	-
Number of subpopulations	3	-	-	-
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation	1-89%	-	-	-

Population justification: The species is described as locally common or abundant. In 1988, 4-8 individuals per hectare were estimated on Cerro El Olvido, suggesting a population of c.1,000 individuals east of Cerro Patao (Bond et al. 1989). In 1993, 1.9 individuals per hectare were estimated on Cerro Humo (Evans et al. 1994). Based on this information, the global population is estimated to number 5,000-6,000 individuals (Sharpe 2015, C. J. Sharpe in litt. 2015). This roughly equates to 3,000-4,000 mature individuals.
Based on its disjunct range, the species likely forms three separate subpopulations, the largest of which may number 2,400-3,200 mature individuals.

Trend justification: This is an understorey species that is affected by the loss and degradation of humid, mossy forests within its range. Tree cover loss is currently low overall (2% over ten years; Global Forest Watch 2022, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein). Due to its sensitivity to habitat degradation, population declines are likely steeper than tree cover loss suggests, and are here precautionarily placed in the band 1-19% over ten years. Population declines may however accelerate in the future as upslope range shifts caused by climate change push the species closer to mountain tops, reducing the availability of suitable habitat (Sekercioglu et al. 2012).

Country/Territory	Presence	Origin	Resident	Breeding visitor	Non-breeding visitor	Passage migrant
Venezuela	extant	native	yes

Country/Territory	IBA Name
Venezuela	Peninsula de Paria National Park (Parque Nacional Península de Paria IBA)

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland	major	resident
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane	major	resident
Altitude	500 - 1200 m	Occasional altitudinal limits

Threat (level 1)	Threat (level 2)	Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Agro-industry farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
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 degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use	Logging & wood harvesting - Unintentional effects: (subsistence/small scale) [harvest]	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Negligible declines		Low Impact: 4
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation
Climate change & severe weather	Habitat shifting & alteration	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Whole (>90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 7
		Stresses Indirect ecosystem effects, Ecosystem degradation
Natural system modifications	Fire & fire suppression - Increase in fire frequency/intensity	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Scissor-tailed Hummingbird Hylonympha macrocerca. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/scissor-tailed-hummingbird-hylonympha-macrocerca 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.