Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species is listed as Vulnerable because ongoing deforestation and the paving of a major highway in its range are suspected to be driving a rapid population decline. Further research is needed to improve our knowledge of this poorly-known species.
Population justification
The population size of this species has not been estimated. The species was described as common to fairly common when considered conspecific with Phaetornis longuemareus.
Trend justification
This species's population is suspected to be undergoing a rapid decline owing to continued forest clearance and fragmentation. High rates of deforestation have taken place within the range, which is within the zone of influence of highway BR-163. The paving of this highway is expected to bring even greater habitat destruction. Habitat loss within the range is predicted to be c.25% over three generations (12.6 years). However, population modelling of the species within the same time frame and area estimates losses of 32% (MMA 2014).
Phaethornis aethopygus is recognised as a valid species following a study into aspects of the population's plumage, distribution and behaviour that found strong evidence against its treatment as a hybrid (Piacentini et al. 2009). This species is endemic to Brazil, known only from the vicinity of the Teles Pires, Tapajós and Xingu rivers, south of the Amazon (Piacentini et al. 2009).
The species is mostly restricted to primary forest. It is susceptible to habitat modification, although tolerant of areas being logged or affected by one fire event (A. Lees in litt. 2011, 2016), with one lek observed in heavily disturbed terra firme forest (Piacentini et al. 2009). In general, the species is common in undisturbed primary forest, but scarce in or even absent from degraded and secondary forests (A. Lees in litt. 2016). It is nectivorous and, like other hummingbirds, probably supplements this diet with invertebrates such as flying insects and spiders.
Within the species's range, habitat destruction and fragmentation as a result of conversion to pasture, road construction and subsequent development and settlement, accompanied by illegal logging, are significant threats, with the Novo Progresso area currently experiencing one of the highest rates of deforestation in the Amazon (F. Olmos in litt. 2007). The paving of the BR-163 Cuiabá-Santarém highway is expected to bring even greater habitat destruction, opening up soya markets in the Mato Grosso for rapid transfer to Santarém, unless strong government action is taken (A. Lees in litt. 2007, MMA 2014). Observations of the species in disturbed habitats (Piacentini et al. 2009, A. Lees in litt. 2011, 2016) suggests that, like many hummingbird species, it tolerates some level of habitat degradation; however, the species get increasingly scarce in degraded forests. Overall, forest fragmentation may lead to the loss of lekking sites, and outright forest clearance is assumed to be catastrophic.
Conservation Actions Underway
Some areas of forest in its range are afforded protection in designated sites such as Floresta Nacional de Altamira and Jamanxin National Park (Piacentini et al. 2009). No other targeted actions are known for this species.
9 cm. Small hermit hummingbird with typical medium-long decurved bill; upperparts olive-green with rufescent edging; underparts strongly rufous in males and buffy-olive tinged rufescent in females; young birds as females, but subadult males gradually developing more rufous underparts (Piacentini et al. 2009). Similar spp Told apart from similar congeners that overlap with its range by combination of strongly rufous belly and deep rufous undertail coverts in male, and strongly rufescent rump and uppertail coverts, as well as its white chin (Piacentini et al. 2009). It also has reddish rachis and rufous terminal margins to the rectrices. Another distinct plumage feature of P. aethopyga is the presence of white bases to the outer margins of the rectrices (Piacentini et al. 2009). Voice Apparently undescribed, but probably emits high-pitched chirps typical of Phaethornis species.
Text account compilers
Symes, A., Hermes, C., Taylor, J., Sharpe, C.J.
Contributors
Olmos, F., Lees, A.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Tapajos Hermit Phaethornis aethopygus. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/tapajos-hermit-phaethornis-aethopygus 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.