• 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., Fishpool, L.D.C., Boesman, P. and Kirwan, G.M. 2016. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 2: Passerines. Lynx Edicions and 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
-	-	-

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2020	Near Threatened	C1
2016	Endangered	B1ab(i,ii,iii,v);C2a(ii)
2012	Endangered	B1ab(i,ii,iii,v);C2a(ii)
2008	Endangered	B1a+b(i,ii,iii,v); C2a(ii)
2004	Endangered
2000	Endangered
1996	Endangered
1994	Endangered
1988	Threatened

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

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	67,100 km2	medium
Severely fragmented?	no	-

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	10000-19999 mature individuals	medium	estimated	2020
Population trend	decreasing	poor	suspected	2014-2024
Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	1-9%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	1-9%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	1-9%	-	-	-
Generation length	3.1 years	-	-	-

Population justification: Previously, the population was estimated to number 250-999 mature individuals. Whilst this is now considered a significant underestimate, the scale of occupancy is recently known to vary with elevation (Escudero-Páez et al. 2018). Higher population densities have as a result been estimated at 80.3 individuals/km². Assuming that the species occurs in only parts of its mapped range, the population size could therefore number over 300,000 individuals. However, it is likely that this may be overestimated. Earlier estimates produced by intensive methods over two sites (Bibby et al. 2000; ProAves 2004 per Fundación ProAves in litt. 2020), also recorded between 5.1-5.5 individuals/km² and 5.7-10.0 individuals/km². Using an average of 6.5 individuals/km² therefore suggests that the population numbers 25,000 individuals, roughly equating to 17,000 mature individuals. Given the uncertainty in methodology used in observations however, using a more conservative approach, the population may be placed in the band of 10,000-19,999 mature individuals.

Trend justification: Forest loss over a 10-year period was estimated at c. 11.2% (Renjifo et al. 2014). Given that the species readily occupies secondary vegetation and degraded habitats, the rate of population decline may not significantly exceed the rate of forest loss. However, as it may depend on some level of primary forests, the species is thought to be undergoing a slower, suspected decline approaching 10% over its 3-generation period.

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

Country/Territory	IBA Name
Colombia	Cañón del Río Combeima
Colombia	Cuenca del Río Toche
Colombia	Parque Nacional Natural Nevado del Huila
Colombia	Puracé Natural National Park
Colombia	Reserva Natural Ibanasca
Colombia	Reservas Comunitarias de Roncesvalles
Colombia	Selva de Florencia

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Artificial/Terrestrial	Arable Land	suitable	resident
Artificial/Terrestrial	Subtropical/Tropical Heavily Degraded Former Forest	suitable	resident
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane	major	resident
Shrubland	Subtropical/Tropical High Altitude	suitable	resident
Altitude	1550 - 2700 m	Occasional altitudinal limits	(min) 1200 m

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
Agriculture & aquaculture	Livestock farming & ranching - Agro-industry grazing, ranching or farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Yellow-headed Brushfinch Atlapetes flaviceps. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/yellow-headed-brushfinch-atlapetes-flaviceps 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.