• 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.

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
-	-	D1

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2021	Near Threatened	C2a(i); D1
2018	Vulnerable	C2a(i)
2016	Endangered	B1ab(i,ii,iii,v)
2012	Endangered	B1ab(i,ii,iii,v)
2008	Endangered	B1a+b(i,ii,iii,v)
2004	Endangered
2000	Endangered
1996	Endangered
1994	Endangered
1988	Threatened

Migratory status	not a migrant	Forest dependency	low
Land-mass type		Average mass	26 g

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	81,100 km2	medium
Area of Occupancy (breeding/resident)	5,916 km2
Severely fragmented?	no	-

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	600-1700 mature individuals	medium	inferred	2020
Population trend	decreasing	poor	suspected	2016-2025
Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	1-9%	-	-	-
Generation length	3.3 years	-	-	-
Number of subpopulations	3	-	-	-
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation	1-89%	-	-	-

Population justification: The nominate subspecies inexpectata numbers more than 250 individuals (Wells and Mitchell 1995; E. Abreu in litt. 1999), subspecies sigmani numbers 600-700 individuals (Kirkconnell and Suarez 2005), while subspecies varonai is described as 'numerous' (P. López Delgado in litt. 2016). The overall population is therefore tentatively inferred to number 1,000-2,499 individuals, which roughly equates to 600-1,700 mature individuals. Further study is however required to confirm this estimate.
It is assumed that the species forms three disjunct subpopulations, which are identical with the three subspecies. Based on available information, the largest subpopulation numbers 600-700 individuals (Kirkconnell and Suarez 2005), equating to 400-470 mature individuals.

Trend justification: The population of subspecies inexpectata is described as stable (Wells and Mitchell 1995; E. Abreu in litt. 1999), but no trend data is available for the other two subspecies. The species is described as having a medium degree of sensitivity to anthropogenic disturbance (Parker et al. 1996; Kim and Slager 2020), and as such it is suspected that the species is declining overall due to habitat degradation and loss.
It has been estimated that habitat within the range has been reduced by 20% in the 20 years prior to 2012 (González et al. 2012). Tentatively assuming that this is continuing at the same rate to the present day, available habitat may have declined by 7% over the past ten years. The rate of population decline is therefore placed in the band 1-9% over ten years.

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

Country/Territory	IBA Name
Cuba	Ciénaga de Zapata
Cuba	Gran Humedal del Norte de Ciego de Ávila
Cuba	Hatibonico - Baitiquirí - Imías

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Dry	suitable	resident
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Mangrove Vegetation Above High Tide Level	suitable	resident
Shrubland	Subtropical/Tropical Dry	suitable	resident
Altitude		Occasional altitudinal limits

Threat (level 1)	Threat (level 2)	Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & aquaculture	Livestock farming & ranching - Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Causing/Could cause fluctuations		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Species disturbance, Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Energy production & mining	Mining & quarrying	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Unknown		Unknown
		Stresses Ecosystem conversion
Human intrusions & disturbance	Recreational activities	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Species disturbance
Natural system modifications	Dams & water management/use - Abstraction of surface water (domestic use)	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation
Natural system modifications	Fire & fire suppression - Increase in fire frequency/intensity	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation
Residential & commercial development	Tourism & recreation areas	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Negligible declines		Low Impact: 4
		Stresses Ecosystem conversion
Transportation & service corridors	Roads & railroads	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Negligible declines		Low Impact: 4
		Stresses Species disturbance, Ecosystem conversion

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Zapata Sparrow Torreornis inexpectata. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/zapata-sparrow-torreornis-inexpectata on 22/12/2024.
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 22/12/2024.