Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species has a very small and rapidly declining range and population, and is consequently classified as Vulnerable.
Population justification
The population is estimated to number 2,500-9,999 individuals based on an assessment of known records, descriptions of abundance and range size. This is consistent with recorded population density estimates for congeners or close relatives with a similar body size, and the fact that only a proportion of the estimated Extent of Occurrence is likely to be occupied. This estimate is equivalent to 1,667-6,666 mature individuals, rounded here to 1,500-7,000 mature individuals.
Trend justification
No quantitative data are available for the calculation of population trends; however, the species is suspected to be declining rapidly in line with habitat degradation within its range.
Cyanolyca mirabilis is locally fairly common to common in the Sierra Madre del Sur of Guerrero and Oaxaca, south-west Mexico. In Guerrero, it is common at Omiltemi, fairly common just north of Nueva Delhi and common between Nueva Delhi and Cerro Teotepec. In Oaxaca, it is known from only three localities in the Sierras de Miahautlán and de Yucuyacua, but there have been no records from San Andrés Chicahuaxtla since 1964 (A. T. Peterson and A. G. Navarro in litt. 1995).
It is largely restricted to undisturbed tracts of humid montane forest, favouring cloud (near Cerro Teotepec) (G. Spinks in litt. 1995), oak and pine-oak forests, but has been found in disturbed habitats. It occurs at elevations of 1,525-3,500 m in Guerrero and 2,000-2,600 m in Oaxaca, but there is very little suitable habitat below 1,800 m. It tends to forage in pairs or small groups, but sometimes joins mixed-species flocks in non-breeding season. Breeding has been recorded in April-August.
Many of the remaining forests within its range are under clearance for timber and large-scale agricultural expansion. Corn, fruit (notably citrus fruit in the Sierra de Miahautlán [Dinerstein et al. 1995]) and coffee cultivation is replacing lower montane forests, and logging is removing pine-oak forests (Navarro 1992). The continuing spread of West Nile virus is not thought to pose a serious threat, and no related mortality has been detected in this species (P. Escalante in litt. 2005).
Conservation Actions Underway
It occurs in the Omiltemi State Ecological Park in the Sierra de Atoyac, though this is not yet a 'conservation area' (R. Almazán-Núñez in litt. 2016).
23-25 cm. Stunning, small jay. Slate-blue body, striking black head with white throat and supercilium extending down behind ear-coverts to give bridled effect. Voice Repeated two-syllable, slightly nasal yeeyip yeeyip. Also squeaky chirping and nasal reek alarm call.
Text account compilers
Harding, M., Capper, D., Sharpe, C.J., Mahood, S., Westrip, J., Isherwood, I., Pople, R.
Contributors
Spinks, G., Escalante, P., Peterson, A., Navarro, A., Almazán-Núñez, R.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: White-throated Jay Cyanolyca mirabilis. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/white-throated-jay-cyanolyca-mirabilis 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.