7 thoughts on “Brown-backed Parrotlet (Touit melanonotus): Revise global status?”
New distribution maps using the method described in Huang, et al. (2021, Batch-produced, GIS-informed range maps for birds based on provenanced, crowd-sourced data inform conservation assessments, PLoS ONE 16(11): e0259299. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0259299) suggest the range of this species is much larger than the previously published range. Huang et al. find the Area of Habitat (AoH) to be 41,947 km2; the area of the previously published range map was 14,297 km2, meaning the new range map is almost three times the size (293%) of the previous map. This is largely because of extension of the range of the species to the north into Bahia state, but also southward, south of Curitiba.
Prior to this assessment, no method for estimating the population size for this species was given. Given that the likely range size is larger than previously used, the population estimate is likely nearer the upper end of the current population range of 2,500 – 9,999. This supports the proposed downlisting of the species from VU to NT under the application of IUCN Red List Criteria in Annex 2.
In the assessment of the risk of extinction of Brazilian fauna carried out in 2019, the species was categorized as Vulnerable (VU), by the criterion C2a(i).
However, the population density data used are suspect and are currently not valid according to IUCN guidelines.
The issue for this species is that population data are suspected, which, according to the IUCN method, should not be used to categorize a species as threatened by criterion C. Therefore, categorization as NT seems to be the best option, avoiding in this case categorize the species as LC or even DD. The latest national assessment also used suspected data and assessors are now aware of the need to reassess this species. Anyway, the subpopulations are small, isolated by the fragmentation of their habitat and by the low power of displacement of the species outside the forest matrix and currently, the loss of habitat seems to be the major threat to the species, causing continued population decline.
Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to this discussion. We greatly appreciate the time and effort invested by so many people in commenting. The window for consultation is now closed and we are unable to accept any more comments until 21 February 2022. We will now analyse and interpret the new information, and we will post a preliminary decision on this species’s Red List status on this page on 21 February 2022, when discussions will re-open.
Based on available information, our preliminary proposal for the 2022.1 Red List would be to adopt the proposed classifications outlined in the initial forum discussion.
There is now a period for further comments until the final deadline on 27 February 2022, after which the recommended categorisations will be put forward to IUCN.
The final 2022.1 Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites in July 2022, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.
Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to this discussion. We greatly appreciate the time and effort invested by so many people in commenting. The window for consultation is now closed and we are unable to accept any more comments. We will analyse and interpret the new information, and we will post a final decision on this species’ Red List status on this page on 7 March 2022.
Recommended categorisation to be put forward to IUCN
The final categorisation for this species has not changed. Brown-backed Parrotlet is recommended to be listed as Near Threatened, approaching the threshold for listing as threatened under Criteria C1+2a(i).
Many thanks for everyone who contributed to the 2022.1 GTB Forum process. The final 2022.1 Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites in July 2022, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.
New distribution maps using the method described in Huang, et al. (2021, Batch-produced, GIS-informed range maps for birds based on provenanced, crowd-sourced data inform conservation assessments, PLoS ONE 16(11): e0259299. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0259299) suggest the range of this species is much larger than the previously published range. Huang et al. find the Area of Habitat (AoH) to be 41,947 km2; the area of the previously published range map was 14,297 km2, meaning the new range map is almost three times the size (293%) of the previous map. This is largely because of extension of the range of the species to the north into Bahia state, but also southward, south of Curitiba.
Prior to this assessment, no method for estimating the population size for this species was given. Given that the likely range size is larger than previously used, the population estimate is likely nearer the upper end of the current population range of 2,500 – 9,999. This supports the proposed downlisting of the species from VU to NT under the application of IUCN Red List Criteria in Annex 2.
In the assessment of the risk of extinction of Brazilian fauna carried out in 2019, the species was categorized as Vulnerable (VU), by the criterion C2a(i).
However, the population density data used are suspect and are currently not valid according to IUCN guidelines.
The issue for this species is that population data are suspected, which, according to the IUCN method, should not be used to categorize a species as threatened by criterion C. Therefore, categorization as NT seems to be the best option, avoiding in this case categorize the species as LC or even DD. The latest national assessment also used suspected data and assessors are now aware of the need to reassess this species. Anyway, the subpopulations are small, isolated by the fragmentation of their habitat and by the low power of displacement of the species outside the forest matrix and currently, the loss of habitat seems to be the major threat to the species, causing continued population decline.
Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to this discussion. We greatly appreciate the time and effort invested by so many people in commenting. The window for consultation is now closed and we are unable to accept any more comments until 21 February 2022. We will now analyse and interpret the new information, and we will post a preliminary decision on this species’s Red List status on this page on 21 February 2022, when discussions will re-open.
Preliminary proposal
Based on available information, our preliminary proposal for the 2022.1 Red List would be to adopt the proposed classifications outlined in the initial forum discussion.
There is now a period for further comments until the final deadline on 27 February 2022, after which the recommended categorisations will be put forward to IUCN.
The final 2022.1 Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites in July 2022, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.
Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to this discussion. We greatly appreciate the time and effort invested by so many people in commenting. The window for consultation is now closed and we are unable to accept any more comments. We will analyse and interpret the new information, and we will post a final decision on this species’ Red List status on this page on 7 March 2022.
Recommended categorisation to be put forward to IUCN
The final categorisation for this species has not changed. Brown-backed Parrotlet is recommended to be listed as Near Threatened, approaching the threshold for listing as threatened under Criteria C1+2a(i).
Many thanks for everyone who contributed to the 2022.1 GTB Forum process. The final 2022.1 Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites in July 2022, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.