Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km² combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Population justification
The population has not been quantified but the species is described as 'fairly common' (Stotz et al. 1996, del Hoyo et al. 2020).
Trend justification
The population trend has not been assessed directly. Due to the impacts of hunting and the species's preference for undisturbed forests, the population is suspected to be in decline. Tree cover within the range is lost at a rate of up to 9% over three generations (17.9 years; Global Forest Watch 2021, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein). While the species is described as being less common in logged forests, it also occurs near forest edges, in clearings and in small forest patches in savanna (del Hoyo et al. 2020); therefore, habitat loss is unlikely to drive a significant population decline. The impact of hunting on the population size has not been quantified; however overall, the impacts are likely not large due to the remoteness and inaccessibility of large parts of the range. Tentatively, population declines are here placed in the band 10-19% over three generations, but an accurate quantification of the population trend is required.
Ramphastos culminatus has an extensive range across much of Amazonia, from Venezuela in the north, south through Amazonian Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia and across a large part of western and central Brazil.
This species occurs in forested lowlands, most often near water, forest edge, swamp forest, clearings, riverine forest, patches in savannas, cerrado and riverine forest, up to c.1,700 m. It is much less common in secondary, selectively cut forest even a decade after cutting (del Hoyo et al. 2002, 2020).
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 included an amnesty for landowners who deforested before July 2008 (Bird et al. 2011). It is also declining as a result of hunting pressure (del Hoyo et al. 2002, 2020).
Conservation and Research Actions Underway
CITES Appendix II. The species is found in several protected areas across its range, including Parima-Tapirapecó National Park in Venezuela, Jaú National Park in Brazil, Manu National Park in Peru, and Noel Kempff Mercado National Park in Bolivia (del Hoyo et al. 2020).
Conservation and Research Actions Proposed
Accurately quantify the population size. Quantify the impact of hunting on the population size. Monitor levels of hunting. Monitor habitat loss. Expand the protected area network to effectively protect key sites. Effectively manage protected areas, utilising emerging opportunities to finance protected area management with the joint aims of reducing carbon emissions and maximizing biodiversity conservation. Raise awareness for the species with the aim of decreasing hunting pressure. 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).
Text account compilers
Hermes, C.
Contributors
Butchart, S., Ekstrom, J., Sharpe, C.J., Symes, A. & Taylor, J.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Yellow-ridged Toucan Ramphastos culminatus. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/yellow-ridged-toucan-ramphastos-culminatus on 19/12/2024.
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 19/12/2024.