LC
Yellow-throated Toucan Ramphastos ambiguus



Taxonomy

Taxonomic note

Ramphastos ambiguus (del Hoyo and Collar 2014) was previously split into R. ambiguus and R. swainsonii following Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993).
Fairly close relative of R. tucanus and R. cuvieri, these three constituting the so-called “yelping group” of toucans. Long considered to include R. brevis as subspecies, but they are now generally accepted as distinct species, with different vocalizations. Subspecies swainsonii often treated as a distinct species, but resembles nominate in behaviour, voice and morphology (they apparently interbred in former contact zone in lower Cauca Valley, in Colombia); moreover, smaller subspecies abbreviatus seems to represent an intermediate form, having bill like that of nominate but facial skin like that of swainsonii; species treatment of swainsonii presumably based largely on its sympatry with R. brevis when latter thought to belong within present species. Other described forms include innominatus from Colombia, a synonym of nominate ambiguus, and tocard and tocardus, which are synonyms of swainsonii. Three subspecies recognized.

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.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - -

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2023 Least Concern
2016 Near Threatened A2cd+3cd+4cd
2014 Near Threatened A2cd+3cd+4cd
2012 Not Recognised
2008 Not Recognised
2004 Not Recognised
2000 Not Recognised
1994 Not Recognised
1988 Not Recognised
Species attributes

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

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 3,560,000 km2 medium
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size 500000-4999999 mature individuals poor suspected 2022
Population trend decreasing - inferred 2010-2029
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 6.19 years - - -
Number of subpopulations 3-100 - - -
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation 1-89% - - -

Population justification: The global population is suspected to number 500,000-4,999,999 mature individuals (Partners in Flight 2022). The species is described as 'fairly common' (Stotz et al. 1996).

Trend justification: The species is described as becoming locally rarer or even extinct in parts of the range, mainly as a consequence of widespread deforestation (Rice et al. 2020). Tree cover within the range is lost at a rate of 8% over three generations (18.6 years; Global Forest Watch 2021, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein). Despite being sensitive to large-scale forest clearance the species shows some tolerance of open habitats and is commonly observed in gardens, clearings and pastureland, as long as trees are present nearby (Rice et al. 2020). Therefore, tree cover loss may be driving only slow population declines overall. The species is however hunted for food, the impact of which has not been quantified. Tentatively, population declines are therefore here placed in the band 1-19% over three generations, though an accurate quantification of the trend is urgently required.


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
Colombia extant native yes
Costa Rica extant native yes
Ecuador extant native yes
Honduras extant native yes
Nicaragua extant native yes
Panama extant native yes
Peru extant native yes
Venezuela extant native yes

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
Honduras Mocorón

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Artificial/Terrestrial Plantations suitable resident
Artificial/Terrestrial Rural Gardens suitable resident
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland major resident
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane major resident
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Swamp suitable resident
Altitude 100 - 2670 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Threats & impact
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
Agriculture & aquaculture Livestock farming & ranching - Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Declines Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target) Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Causing/Could cause fluctuations Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Species mortality
Biological resource use Logging & wood harvesting - Unintentional effects: (large scale) [harvest] 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%) Slow, Significant Declines Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion

Utilisation
Purpose Scale
Food - human subsistence, national
Pets/display animals, horticulture national

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Yellow-throated Toucan Ramphastos ambiguus. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/yellow-throated-toucan-ramphastos-ambiguus 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.