sicydium is a genus of gobies native to fast-flowing streams and rivers of the americas ( central america , mexico , cocos island , the caribbean , colombia , ecuador and venezuela ) with a couple species native to middle africa .

sicydium

katja schulz added an association between
sicydium caguitae evermann & marsh . 1902 . gobiidae ; sicydium .
and
sicydium plumieri ( bloch , 1786 )
.
cyndy parr set
sicydium caguitae p05460 illustration
as an exemplar on
sicydium plumieri ( bloch , 1786 )
.
cyndy parr marked
n354 _ w1150
as trusted on the
sicydium plumieri
page .
notes on the biology of the gobiid fish sicydium plumieri in puer . . . : ingenta connect
the genus sicydium is in the family cucurbitaceae in the major group angiosperms ( flowering plants ) .
the artisanal fishery industry in the caribbean for sicydium species is widespread and often intense ( bell et al . 1995 ) .
the plant list includes 14 scientific plant names of species rank for the genus sicydium . of these 8 are accepted species names .
lyons , j . 2005 . distribution of sicydium valenciennes 1837 ( pisces : gobiidae ) in mexico and central america . hidrobiológica 15 : 239–243 .
brock , v . e . 1942 . a new goby , sicydium fayae , from the tres marias islands , west coast of mexico . stanford ichthyological bulletin 2 ( 4 ) : 122–125 .
bussing , w . 1996 . sicydium adelum , a new species of gobiid fish ( pisces : gobiidae ) from atlantic slope streams of costa rica . revista de biologia tropical 44 : 819–825 .
the artisanal fishery industry in the caribbean for sicydium species is widespread and often intense ( bell et al . 1995 ) . fishery declines in sicydium species have been reported in other regions ( bell et al . 1995 ) . the reason for these declines is not clear as no landing statistics are available . habitat degradation and over - exploitation have both been suggested as potential causes of these declines ( bell 1999 ) .
chabarria , r . e . & f . pezold . 2013 . phylogeography and historical demography of sicydium salvini in the eastern pacific . ichthyological research 60 : 353–362 . doi : 10 . 1007 / s10228 - 013 - 0363 - x
we report collections of several specimens of sicydium in 2013 and 2014 from the jubones and santa rosa rivers in southwestern ecuador . these collections substantially expand the known range of the genus southward . the specimens are tentatively identified as sicydium cf . rosenbergii based on their morphology . small differences in morphology among specimens from the two rivers are noted , as are discrepancies with the type description . a museum database search uncovered two additional records of the genus south of their previously recognized range including one record from northwestern peru .
fievet , e . & b . le guennec . 1998 . migration de masse de sicydium spp . ( gobiidae ) dans les rivieres de guadeloupe : implications pour le schema hydraulique des mini - centrales hydroelectriques ‘au fil de l’eau’ . cybium 22 : 293–296 .
the plant list includes a further 1 scientific plant names of infraspecific rank for the genus sicydium . we do not intend the plant list to be complete for names of infraspecific rank . these are primarily included because names of species rank are synonyms of accepted infraspecific names .
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thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .
western atlantic species of this genus are in need of revision ( e . murdy pers . comm . 2009 , f . pezold pers . comm . 2010 ) .
justification : this widely distributed , amphidromous species can be locally abundant where it occurs in rivers of coastal volcanic topography . it can recruit among streams of different islands due to its pelagic marine larvae . the subpopulation on dominica has suffered severe declines due to habitat degradation and overexploitation . these threats are not known to be impacting its global population , therefore , it is listed as least concern . improved management of its vulnerable habitat and exploited subpopulations is recommended .
this species has been recorded in the western atlantic in the antilles from jamaica to trinidad and tobago ( kullander 2003 ) , along the central american coast from honduras to panama ( murdy and hoese 2002 , matamoros et al . 2009 , tornabene and pezold pers . comm . 2011 ) , and along the south american coast from venezuela and in the coastal drainages of bahia state , brazil ( de lucena et al . 2013 ) .
anguilla ; antigua and barbuda ; aruba ; barbados ; bonaire , sint eustatius and saba ; brazil ; colombia ( colombian caribbean is . ) ; costa rica ; curaçao ; dominica ; dominican republic ; grenada ; guadeloupe ; haiti ; honduras ; jamaica ; martinique ; montserrat ; nicaragua ; panama ; puerto rico ; saint barthélemy ; saint kitts and nevis ; saint lucia ; saint martin ( french part ) ; saint vincent and the grenadines ; sint maarten ( dutch part ) ; trinidad and tobago ; venezuela , bolivarian republic of ; virgin islands , british ; virgin islands , u . s .
this species has exhibited severe population declines in dominica ( bell pers . comm . ) . these declines have been attributed both to over - exploitation and habitat degradation / alteration ( bell 1999 ) . this species is prominent in puerto rican streams ( cook et al . 2009 , f . pezold pers . comm . 2011 ) .
this is a demersal amphidromous species found in rivers of coastal volcanic topography ( bell 1994 ) . adults spawn in rivers with coarse substrate , building nests under stones ( bell 1999 ) . it excavates nests below the gravel bottom . males provide most of the parental care . newly hatched larvae emerge from nests upon hatching and enter the river plankton . they migrate to the sea where they stay for 50 - 150 days before re - entering the rivers as postlarvae . this species feeds on filamentous algae and other soft vegetation .
spp . , support fisheries based on return migrations of postlarvae ( fry ) to rivers . in dominica , larva of this species contribute > 95 % to the goby fry fishery ( bell 1999 ) .
there are no species - specific conservation measures . additional research is needed into the impact of habitat degradation and exploitation on this species .
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froese , r . & d . pauly ( editors ) . ( 2018 ) . fishbase . world wide web electronic publication . , available online at urltoken [ details ]
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research curator of fishes , north carolina state museum of natural sciences , research laboratory , 4301 reedy creek rd . , raleigh , nc , 27607 , usa
banks , r . c . , r . w . mcdiarmid , a . l . gardner , and w . c . starnes
checklist of vertebrates of the united states , the u . s . territories , and canada
disclaimer : itis taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available , and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties . however , it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes . while every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up - to - date information available , ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the united states is a party , wildlife statutes , regulations , and any applicable notices that have been published in the federal register . for further information on u . s . legal requirements with respect to protected taxa , please contact the u . s . fish and wildlife service .
aguirre , w . e . , v . r . shervette , r . navarrete , p . calle & s . agorastos . 2013 . morphological and genetic divergence of hoplias microlepis ( characiformes , erythrinidae ) in western ecuador . copeia 2013 ( 2 ) : 312–323 . doi : 10 . 1643 / ci - 12 - 083
aguirre , w . e . , r . navarrete , p . calle & g . c . sanchez - garces . 2014 . first record of iotabrycon praecox roberts 1973 ( characidae ) in the santa rosa river , southwestern ecuador . checklist 10 : 382–385 . doi : 10 . 15560 / 10 . 2 . 382
aguirre , w . e . , r . navarrete , g . malato , p . calle , m . k . loh , et al . 2016 . body shape variation and population genetic structure of rhoadsia altipinna ( characidae : rhoadsiinae ) in southwestern ecuador . copeia 104 : 554–569 . doi : 10 . 1643 / cg - 15 - 289
anderson , e . p . & j . a . maldonado - ocampo . 2010 . a regional perspective on the diversity and conservation of tropical andean fishes . conservation biology 25 : 30–39 . doi : 10 . 1111 / j . 1523 - 1739 . 2010 . 01568 . x
barnhill les , b . , e . lópez león & a . les . 1974 . estudio sobre la biología de los peces del río vinces . instituto nacional de pesca boletín científico y técnico 3 ( 1 ) : 1–40 .
barriga , r . s . 2012 . lista de peces de agua dulce e intermareales del ecuador . revista politécnica 30 ( 3 ) : 83 - 119 .
bell , k . n . i . 1999 . an overview of goby - fry fisheries . naga , the iclarm quarterly 22 : 30–36 .
boulenger , g . a . 1899 . description of a new genus of gobioid fishes from the andes of ecuador . annals and magazine of natural history ( series 7 ) 4 ( 20 ) : 125–126 .
bussing , w . 1998 . peces de las aguas continentales de costa rica . san jose : editorial de la universidad de costa rica . 468 pp .
eigenmann , c . h . 1918 . eighteen new species of fishes from northwestern south america . proceedings of the american philosophical society 56 ( 7 ) : 673–689 .
eschmeyer , w . n , . r . fricke , & r . van der laan ( eds ) . 2016 . catalog of fishes : genera , species , references . accessed at : urltoken 9 april 2016 .
hubbs , c . l . , & k . f . lagler . 2004 . fishes of the great lakes region , revised edition . ann arbor : the university of michigan press . 276 pp .
jiménez prado , p . , w . aguirre , e . laaz moncayo , r . navarrete amaya , f . nugra salazar , et al . 2015 . guía de peces para aguas continentales en la vertiente occidental del ecuador . pontificia universidad católica del ecuador sede esmeraldas ( pucese ) , universidad del azuay ( uda ) y museo ecuatoriano de ciencias naturales ( mecn ) del instituto nacional de biodiversidad . 416 pp .
keith , p . & c . lord . 2011 . tropical freshwater gobies : amphidromy as a life cycle ; pp . 243–277 , in : r . a . patzner , j . l . van tassell , m . kovacic & b . g . kapoor ( eds . ) . the biology of gobies . jersey : crc press .
keith , p . , c . lord , j . lorion , s . watanabe , k . tsukamoto , et al . 2011 . phylogeny and biogeography of sicydiinae ( teleostei : gobiidae ) inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear genes . marine biology 158 : 311–326 . doi : 10 . 1007 / s00227 - 010 - 1560 - z
kullander , s . o . 2003 . family gobiidae ; pp . 657–665 , in : r . e . reis , s . o . kullander & c . j . ferraris ( eds . ) . checklist of the freshwater fishes of south and central america . porto alegre : edipucrs .
lujan , n . k . , v . meza - vargas & r . barriga - salazar . 2015 . two new chaetostoma group ( loricariidae : hypostominae ) sister genera from opposite sides of the andes mountains in ecuador , with the description of one new species . copeia 103 ( 2015 ) : 651–663 . doi : 10 . 1643 / ci - 15 - 246
miller , r . r . 2005 . freshwater fishes of méxico . chicago : university of chicago press . 490 pp .
ortega , h . , m . hidalgo , e . correa , j . espino , l . chocano , et al . 2011 . lista anotada de peces de aguas continentales de perú . estado actual del conocimiento , distribución , usos y aspectos de conservación . lima : ministry of the environment , general bureau of biological diversity — national history museum , national university of san marcos ( unmsm ) . 48 pp .
regan , c . t . 1914 . fishes from the condoto river , colombia , collected by dr . h . g . f . spurrell . annals and magazine of natural history ( series 8 ) 14 ( 79 ) : 31–33 .
revelo , w . & e . laaz . 2012 . catálogo de peces de aguas continentales provincia de los ríos ecuador . instituto nacional de pesca boletín especial 3 ( 5 ) : 1–57 .
román - valencia , c . , r . i . ruiz - c . , d . c . taphorn b . & c . garcía - a . 2013 . three new species of bryconamericus ( characiformes , characidae ) , with keys for species from ecuador and a discussion on the validity of the genus knodus . animal biodiversity and conservation 36 ( 1 ) : 123–139 .
tan , m . & j . w . armbruster . 2012 . cordylancistrus santarosensis ( siluriformes : loricariidae ) , a new species with unique snout deplatation from the río santa rosa , ecuador . zootaxa 3243 : 52–58 .
watson , r . e . 1995 . gobies of the genus stiphodon from french polynesia , with descriptions of two new species ( teleostei : gobiidae : sicydiinae ) . ichthyological explorations of freshwater 6 : 33–48 .
is found in around the caribbean islands of the antilles , south of cuba .
cyndy parr marked
n354 _ w1150
as trusted on the
aspidophoroides monopterygius
page .
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syntype specimens from british museum of natural history courtesy of james maclaine and kevin webb .
source for occurrence in ecuador : boulenger ( 1899 ) , barriga ( 2012 ) , jimenez et al . ( 2016 ) .
original description : boulenger , g . a . 1899 . description of a new genus of gobioid fishes from the andes of ecuador . annals and magazine of natural history ( series 7 ) v . 4 ( no . 20 ) ( art . 12 ) : 125 - 126 .
range ecuador : type locality is described as paramba at 3500 feet ( 1066 . 8 m ) above sea level in northwestern ecuador ( boulenger , 1899 ) . listed as occurring in the santiago - cayapas and esmeraldas drainage systems ( barriga , 2012 ; jimenez et al . , 2016 ) . aguirre et al . ( 2017 ) recently reported collections from southwestern ecuador including the jubones and santa rosa rivers in el oro province ( close to peru ) , although the identification to species was only tentative and needs to be confirmed .
range outside of ecuador : historically , this species has been considered endemic to ecuador , however , a specimen collected in the chancay river in northwestern peru has recently been reported suggesting that s . rosenbergii may also occur in peru ( rom 91180 ; reported in aguirre et al . , 2017 ) . this record needs to be confirmed .
maximum size : 113 mm total length based on two specimens in species description ( boulenger , 1899 ) . fishbase ( 2016 ) lists a maximum size of 11 cm tl as well . probably grows to larger sizes .
economic importance : specific information on this species is not available although historically larvae of the genus were exploited as food by local inhabitants of western ecuador ( jimenez et al . , 2015 ) .
conservation status : specific information on this species is not available although given its migratory life style and the state of many rivers in western ecuador , it may be under threat . research on its conservation status is needed .
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western atlantic species of this genus are in need of revision ( e . murdy pers . comm . 2009 ) .
de silva , r . , milligan , h . , lutz , m . , batchelor , a . , jopling , b . , kemp , k . , lewis , s . , lintott , p . , sears , j . , wilson , p . & smith , j . and livingston , f .
has been assessed as data deficient . there are no separate catch statistics available on this species , but reports indicate that species within this genus are intensively exploited . fishery declines in
species have been reported for other regions where fisheries are intensively exploited . fisheries target the larvae , which may cause serious declines in the adult population , but data on the adult population are lacking . pressures from
fisheries are likely to continue while there are no limits on fishing effort or catch size .
further research and monitoring of possible conservation measures , population numbers and harvest levels are needed to prevent this species becoming threatened . it is particularly important to gather data on the status of the adult population occurring in freshwater habitats ; without this information it is impossible to determine trends in population size or decline rates .
is a demersal , diadromous goby . adults live in freshwater where they spawn and larvae migrate downstream into marine waters within the continental shelf . the congener ,
is thought to be long - lived ( more than five years ) and iteroparous ( i . e . , it produces offspring in successive—annual or seasonal—batches ) .
there are no species - specific conservation measures in place for this species . however , its distribution may cover a number of marine protected areas . monitoring of the population numbers and harvest levels of this species is needed . further research should be conducted on possible conservation measures such as closed seasons during peak spawning periods .
see
status
,
confidence level
,
source
for definitions .
body elongate , square in cross - section , back broad and flat to slightly concave ; head blunt , somewhat depressed ; mouth opening angled downwards , overhung by snout , with thick lips ; inside top lip with a papillae covered ridge ; top teeth long and narrow , widely spaced , with tip curved , flattened and facing forwards , with a narrow longitudinal groove down its center , spatula like ( but notched when worn ) , in 1 row of 25 - 50 ; lower teeth canine - like in male ( 1 - 8 ) , conical in female ( 1 - 6 ) , in a single row ; dorsal and anal fins separate from tail fin ; dorsal fin vi + i , 10 ( 9 - 10 ) , 1st dorsal higher in adults , with spines 3 - 4 filamentous in males ; anal fin i , 10 ( 9 - 11 ) , directly opposite 2nd dorsal fin ; pelvic fins united in a broad oval disc that is mostly fused to belly by membrane , with 6 stout radiating ridges on its bottom ; pectoral rays 21 ( 19 - 22 ) ; tail fin rounded , 13 - 14 ( 11 - 16 ) ; scales small , 55 - 60 ( 49 - 71 ) lateral scales ; scales rough along sides of body , upper and lower scales smooth ; head , breast , pectoral base and belly scaleless .
preserved fish tan ; head with a dark bar from eye to rear of top lip ; usually 6 broad dark bars on side of body , darker above ; tail fin base with a dark bar or circular spot ; 1st dorsal fin dusky , 2nd dorsal with black margin ; anal fin with black edge in male ; juveniles with stronger dark markings .


the orange-breasted falcon ( falco deiroleucus ) is a bird of the falcon family .

it is probably closely related to and looks like a larger version of the bat falcon .

these two , in turn , are probably closest to the aplomado falcon and constitute a rather old american lineage of falcos .

it is found from southern mexico to northern argentina .

it 's a medium-sized falcon at 35 – 40 cm ( 14 – 15.5 in ) long and a weight of 325 – 700 grams ( 11 ounces – 1 pound 9 ounces ) .

it is a bird predator , with strong talons that enable it to catch prey in flight , and is considered by some – such as the german-brazilian ornithologist helmut sick – as filling the ecological niche of the peregrine falcon as a breeding species in tropical america .

the orange-breasted falcon , however , seems to favor more heavily wooded habitats than the peregrine , therefore the species does not seem to be in ecological competition with peregrine falcons wintering or breeding in south america .

the orange-breasted falcon has a similar plumage to the much smaller bat falcon and is generally considered most closely related to that species now .

orange - breasted falcon

read more about orange - breasted falcon biology , natural history , and conservation at the orange - breasted falcon account on neotropical birds .
nobody uploaded sound recordings for orange - breasted falcon ( falco deiroleucus ) yet .
the orange - breasted falcon looks very similar to the smaller bat falcon . people often confuse the two species , making it hard for biologists to confirm reports of the much rarer orange - breasted falcon .
relative to its body size , the orange - breasted falcon appears to have the largest feet of any falcon . it also has an unusually large beak .
orange - breasted falcons usually reach breeding age at around 2 - 3 years old .
the peregrine fund captive breeding / reintroduction project and field studies . orange - breasted falcon falco deiroleucus contains extensive information on the biology and status of this species . vireo orange - breasted falcon photos . aves de rapina do brasil species account wirh emphasis on brazil .
a female orange - breasted falcon flies around the temple of the grand jaguar under the light of the super moon in a heavy fog and mist .
recommended citation : global raptor information network . 2018 . species account : orange - breasted falcon falco deiroleucus . downloaded from urltoken on 9 jul . 2018
orange - breasted falcon is a raptor of the neotropics whose range historically stretched from southern mexico through northern argentina . it now is found only locally throughout its expansive range , with most current observations coming from a few well - known nesting locations . never considered common anywhere , orange - breasted falcon’s current abundance and distribution are clouded by confusion with the similarly - plumaged bat falcon ( falco rufigularis ) ; many purported records of orange - breasted falcons outside their known localities may pertain to that species .
in central america , the orange - breasted falcon is absent everywhere south of belize and guatemala and found again only in panama . its absence from many countries that contain seemingly suitable habitat is one of the greatest mysteries of falcon and neotropical bird conservation .
the orange - breasted falcon is a brilliantly colored medium - sized falcon of the contiguous neotropical forest , arguably the most beautiful species of falcon , and the holy grail for many tropical birders . it has always been rare and may be the most sparsely distributed falcon in the world , with its abundance and distribution clouded by confusion with the much more common and similarly plumaged bat falcon . the international union for conservation of nature lists the orange - breasted falcon as “near threatened” globally in its red list of threatened species . once ranging from southern mexico through middle and south america , the species is now regionally endangered or extirpated in central america ( berry et al . ) .
robert b . berry has been studying orange - breasted falcons since the early 1990s . a lifelong falconer , he played a significant role in the recovery of the north american peregrine falcon in the 1970s and ’80s .
cover image : bathed by a gentle breeze in the early morning light , a wild - born juvenile orange - breasted falcon waits for her captive - bred father to bring food . photo by robert b . berry .
the peregrine fund ' s world center for birds of prey is a great place to get a close - up look at the orange - breasted falcon , one of the most colorful falcons in the world . on display at our velma morrison interpretive center , orange - breasted falcons delight visitors with their bright orange breast , large yellow feet and slaty black backs . visit us to learn all about this neotropical raptor and the rainforest habitat in which it lives .
the black - and - white hawk - eagle might be the greatest threat to juvenile orange - breasted falcons , both wild and captive - bred . this spectacular species is widespread from mexico to argentina but is uncommon and secretive in the mountain pine ridge of belize . it is extremely rare in guatemala—which , by itself , may account for the stability of the country’s small orange - breasted falcon population .
call . overall colouration very dark . underparts mainly orange , with black barring . iris brown ; bill dark with yellow base and cere ; legs yellow - orange .
the orange - breasted falcon female is nearly twice the size of her mate – a greater size difference than that of all other 39 falcon species . you may be wondering why there is such a large gap between the sexes . this adaptation enables the pair to select different - sized prey . the male takes smaller quarry , and the female captures larger prey . relative to its overall body size , the female orange - breasted falcon has the largest feet of any falcon and also a particularly large beak . this heavy armament provides many advantages for the species . the female’s large size , huge feet and talons and beak help her manage social relations in the family group and defend the nest from predators .
baker , a . j . , d . f . whitacre , o . a . aguirre - barrera , and c . white . 2000 . the orange - breasted falcon falco deiroleucus in mesoamerica : a vulnerable , disjunct population ? bird conservation international 10 : 29 - 40 ) .
orange - breasted falcon four - year - old superstar b1’s calm demeanor assures his wild - born and adopted progeny that it is safe to “play . ” despite his constant vigil and aggressive defense , he is unable to protect all of the young falcons . photo by robert b . berry .
berry , r . b . , c . w . benkman , a . muela , y . seminario , and m . curti . 2010 . isolation and decline of a population of the orange - breasted falcon . condor , vol . 112 , no . 3 : 479 - 487 .
there’s a single chick in the nest , ” aaron radioed as he hung from a rope on a lofty cliff in belize . “should we take it ? ” he had climbed hundreds of feet down to an orange - breasted falcon eyrie to retrieve fledglings on behalf of the peregrine fund for experimental captive propagation .
peregrine fund biologists have been studying the orange - breasted falcon since 1978 , initially in ecuador and peru and then in belize and guatemala . our biologists have worked very hard to find these falcons in central america , searching on foot , by plane and by helicopter . during one survey over a two - year period ( 1999 - 2000 ) , they checked nearly 400 cliffs but never saw a single orange - breasted falcon in honduras , nicaragua , el salvador , or costa rica . this confirmed that the small declining population in belize and guatemala is isolated by almost 1 , 000 miles from the larger population in south america .
the author feeds falcon chicks ranging in age from one day to 40 days old . photo by carol berry .
important references : baker , a . j . , d . f . whitacre , and o . agruirre . 2012 . orange - breasted falcon . pp . 296 - 312 in d . f . whitacre ( ed . ) , neotropical birds of prey : biology and ecology of a forest raptor community . cornell university press , ithaca , ny . berry , r . b . , c . w . benkman , a . muela , y . seminario , and m . curti . 2010 . isolation and decline of a population of the orange - breasted falcon . condor 112 : 479 - 489 . baker , a . j . 1998 . status and breeding biology , ecology , and behavior of the orange - breasted falcon ( falco deiroleucus ) in guatemala and belize . m . sc . thesis , brigham young university , provo , ut . baker , a . j . , d . f . whitacre , o . aguirre - barrera , and c . white . 2000 . the orange - breasted falcon falco deiroleucus in mesoamerica : a vulnerable , disjunct population ? bird conservation international 10 : 29 - 40 . bierregaard , r . o . 1994 . orange - breasted falcon . p . 268 in del hoyo , j . , a . elliott , and j . sargatal ( eds ) . handbook of birds of the world . vol . 2 . new world vultures to guineafowl . lynx edicions , barcelona , spain . boyce , jr . , d . a . 1980 . hunting and pre - nesting behavior of the orange - breasted falcon . raptor research 14 : 35 - 39 . brown , l . , and d . amadon . 1968 . eagles , hawks and falcons of the world . vol . 2 . mcgraw - hill , new york . cade , t . j . 1982 . falcons of the world . cornell university press , ithaca , ny . ferguson - lees , j . , and d . a . christie .
today , we are focusing our efforts on studying the behavior , breeding and hunting habits , threats , and habitat requirements of the only known orange - breasted falcon population in northern central america . because this rare falcon appears to be largely absent from much of central america , we recognized the need to begin a captive - breeding and release program to help maintain genetic diversity and to prevent further decline . we conducted our first experimental release for this species in 2005 . in 2006 , we began a captive breeding program at our facilities in sheridan , wyoming . by 2012 , 45 orange - breasted falcons had been produced in captivity and 30 released to the wild in belize .
like many other falcon species , orange - breasted falcons are primarily bird hunters . they prey on small - to medium - sized birds , particularly doves , parakeets , and swifts . however , they also take large insects and , during dusk and pre - dawn hours , bats . they are aerial hunters , so they take all of their prey while in flight .
we believe that the orange - breasted falcon’s primary extinction drivers are habitat alteration and associated human activities , which include indiscriminate shooting , logging , agriculture , and development . these drivers interact with the impacts of human disturbance , such as increased access to remote habitat , hunting , tourism , selective logging , and collecting , further exacerbated by interactions with the bird’s natural predators .
the orange - breasted falcon is not known to nest apart from mature forest , although we do not know the point at which fragmented habitat becomes uninhabitable or why . small farms , orchards , and cattle ranches caused the abandonment of at least one historic territory and threaten others . construction of three hydroelectric dams along the macal river are implicated in the loss of two of four falcon territories . the last of these construction projects was completed in 2012 , with human traffic limited , although a massive infrastructure of power lines presents a high risk of falcon collisions and electrocutions . even well - meaning tourists may have a negative impact by disrupting nesting .
it is also helpful during the young birds ' first flights , as they often end up grounded in the dense tropical forest . if they are tame , biologists can pick them and place them in a safe spot high off the ground and away from predators . but this tameness doesn ' t last . after a week or two of flying wild , these young falcons quickly grow wary of any potential predator – including humans ! nonetheless , even wild orange - breasted falcons are naturally relatively unafraid of humans , to their detriment . another unique aspect of this falcon is the long period of time – about five months – that the juveniles depend on their parents for food . other falcon species , such as the peregrine falcon and aplomado falcon , are dependent for about half that time .
our captive orange - breasted falcon colony consists of 28 birds—11 original founders from panama , 4 from belize ( including 2 botfly - infested juveniles we rescued in 2012 ) , and their captive - bred progeny . they are maintained in spacious climate - controlled aviaries in wyoming . this species is very difficult to breed in captivity , despite the ease in breeding the related bat falcon and many other falcon species . of the 56 young produced in captivity since 2006 , all have been the product of artificial insemination . thirty - nine have been released in the mountain pine ridge area , including 5 in 2014 ; of these , 23 are thought to have become independent through 2013 .
aaron spent the next six years studying the orange - breasted falcon . his field research became the seminal life - history study of the species . he concluded that the local population was probably stable—but just barely—and part of a larger unknown population ( baker et al . 2000 ) . it was not until the end of the decade that we concluded that the northern population was very small , isolated , and in steep decline .
the orange - breasted falcon’s history in middle america is documented by only 10 museum specimens collected between 1867 and 1962 from mexico to costa rica , a few confirmed sightings , and a single breeding record . our surveys over several decades confirm that the species’ northern population is limited to the maya mountains of belize and the mirador cordillera of guatemala—an area comprising less than 4 percent of its former range in central america . orange - breasted falcons are isolated by some 1 , 500 kilometers from the closest population of not more than four pairs on the colombian border of panama , which we survey annually . despite a wide network of contributors , ebird has been unable to confirm a single central american record for this species outside our study area .
captive - bred male b1 takes flight near the hack site , watched by his wild mate , caya . the pair made history in 2013 , fledging three beautiful youngsters and proving that captive - bred orange - breasted falcons can survive and breed successfully in the wild . photo by robert b . berry .
many tropical raptors—including the closely related bat falcon—hunt within the forest canopy . the orange - breasted falcon is unique in hunting above the canopy , the most challenging environment for a bird - eating specialist . the birds have long , narrow , pointed wings , a relatively short tail , and a heavy compact body with a deep sternum , supporting powerful flight muscles . these features maximize speed as opposed to maneuverability , for preying on a wide variety of small - to - medium - sized birds and bats , which are captured in high - speed stoops when they are briefly exposed above the forest canopy or while crossing a canyon , stream , or river valley . the female orange - breasted falcon is the most heavily armed of falcons , possessing a massive , laterally compressed beak , thick powerful legs , and enormous feet relative to its body size—important attributes for grasping and quickly dispatching dangerous quarry such as parrots . males are half the size of their mates and lack their impressive armature , a difference that supports the female’s dominant role in social relations , nest defense , and exploitation of a varied prey base .
the techniques used to release young orange - breasted falcons to the wild are similar to those used for releasing aplomado falcons and other birds of prey – with several important differences . the orange - breasted falcon chicks are hand - raised in small groups by a biologist . this is to help keep them tame while they are in the hack box , where the chicks become accustomed to their new surroundings , and for a short while after they are released to the wild . this is helpful because the chicks vary quite a bit in age when they arrive at the hack site . if the chicks are tame , biologists can release the older birds while still climbing up to the box in the evening to feed the younger birds that haven ' t yet flown for the first time .
though there were probably never lots of orange - breasted falcons , the species’ range in central america today is limited to areas of belize , guatemala and panama – a very small portion of its historic range . biologists estimate the population in this region to be made up of only around 30 pairs . that isn ' t very many ! by looking at records for this species in south america since 1970 , biologists believe that this striking falcon ' s population is in trouble there , as well .
“no , ” i replied , feeling guilty about his arduous descent to the nest . “come on back up . ” taking the last young falcon from the nest would be unethical .
peregrine fund president bill burnham asked me to visit baker to explain the breeding biology of the orange - breasted falcon . i had never seen the bird , but i had lots of experience breeding falcons in captivity . early in march of 1992 , aaron and i were sprawled on a massive boulder in the middle of the macal river , in the shadow of a gigantic cliff—an irresistible ecological magnet for falcons and one of aaron’s orange - breasted falcon territories . armed with binoculars and a spotting scope , we scanned the sky for raptors . as if by magic , a male orangebreasted falcon appeared above us , spiraling effortlessly upward in the noonday thermals until it became a tiny speck . an instant later , it came plummeting earthward in a blistering vertical stoop , climaxed by streaking across the cliff face , its defiant kak - kak - kak call echoing between the towering canyon walls . then it rocketed off in a different direction to chase a black vulture and next a plumbeous kite . it was the most spectacular and inspiring aerial performance i had ever seen in a lifetime of working with falcons . what bravado and courage he showed . surely the bird was reassuring his unseen mate and serving notice that this was his domain and he was invincible .
the maya mountains of western belize and the mirador cordillera of guatemala are home to the largest and densest known orange - breasted falcon population , which includes 32 territories . seven of them have been abandoned for more than a decade . aerial surveys in 2009 and 2010 located 10 additional eyries in the rugged and remote southern maya mountains , which are only accessible by helicopter . the massif is 75 miles long by 40 miles wide with a northeast - southwest orientation extending about 20 miles into heavily developed eastern guatemala , where the falcons are absent .
perhaps the biggest threat that these falcons face is loss or change in their habitat because of practices like logging , agriculture , and development . another threat could also be the growing population of black vultures in the area . black vultures are scavengers that can eat just about anything . they are sometimes attracted to garbage dumps and tend to congregate there in large numbers , picking through the trash to find tasty morsels to eat . this means that black vultures can often be found in areas where humans are present . as people move closer and closer to orange - breasted falcon habitat , the vultures might be moving with them . black vultures might compete with these falcons for nesting cliffs and probably consume falcon eggs and young , too !
aaron spent the night at a medical clinic , soaking up antihistamines , while oscar and i sat at camp , removing each other’s stingers like a pair of chimpanzees picking lice . we waited until after dark to collect our gear at the cliff , after the bees had settled down . unaware that highly aggressive africanized bees had displaced the mild - mannered european honeybees a decade earlier , we were fortunate to escape serious injury or worse . this episode took place at belize’s thousand foot falls in 1994 , during the initial phase of our orange - breasted falcon research in central america .
our core study population is in the mountain pine ridge of the northern mountains , a small granite plateau of about 200 , 000 acres , with an elevation between 600 and 900 meters . the plateau is dominated by pines and dissected by streams and deep hardwood canyons extending into valleys with abundant limestone and granite cliffs , a few of which are occupied by orange - breasted falcons . the forest life zone is borderline tropical - subtropical moist to wet forest . both the falcon and its prey breed during the dry season , from february through may , a period with the highest temperatures and lowest rainfall .
many authors have reflected on the orange - breasted falcon’s rarity throughout its range . we believe that its specialized habitat requirements , low reproductive rate , and predation by a plethora of natural enemies are the primary causes for its historic scarcity . more recently , the cumulative effects of habitat alteration , fragmentation , human conflicts , and increasing predation may explain the catastrophic reduction in the species’ range in central america and its declining population . given the species’ ecological challenges and its apparent isolation from the little - known population in south america , the extirpation of the small population in belize and guatemala seems increasingly likely .
orange - breasted falcons have probably always been rare because of their specialized habitat : large cliffs where they nest and large areas of unbroken tropical forest where they live . historically , their range may have been from southern mexico to northern argentina . today , they occupy just 4 % of their former range in central america where a small population of fewer than 40 pairs persist in areas of belize , guatemala and panama .
there are three popular birding sites in central america where orange - breasted falcons are predictably seen : tikal national park , guatemala , and hidden valley inn & reserve and black rock river lodge in the mountain pine ridge area of belize’s northwest maya mountains . fully two - thirds of ebird’s citizen - science records in central and south america ( 292 of 427 ) come from these locations as part of our study population .
only a few decades ago , our knowledge of the orange - breasted falcon ( falco deiroleucus ) was limited to a few sight records in the literature and some sketchy notes attached to 19th and early 20th - century museum specimens and a single breeding record in tikal national park , guatemala . in 1978 , tom cade , founder and president of the peregrine fund , and biologist peter jenny assembled sparse geographic information and began searching for the species in ecuador , peru , and guatemala . from the early 1980s through 1991 , researchers conducted studies of newly located territories in guatemala and belize as part of the maya project , a nearly decade - long ( 1988 - 96 ) ecological raptor study ( see neotropical birds of prey : biology and ecology of a forest raptor community ) . graduate student aaron baker was part of the project and began the first natural - history study of the orange - breasted falcon in 1992 . he searched for cliffs by questioning local people , examining topographical maps , and exploring river valleys and areas of high relief on foot , by car , and from fixed - wing aircraft . by 1996 baker had expanded his study population to 19 territories in belize and guatemala . our present - day research and restoration program builds upon this series of earlier investigations .
aaron baker calculated that 55 percent of orange - breasted falcon nesting attempts failed and that predators caused most of the failures . the list of potential predators is enormous , from jays and toucans to hawk - eagles , owls , forest - falcons , and vultures ; mammals such as the tayra ( a large mustelid ) and rats ; arboreal snakes , insects , and parasites . prominent on the list are the black - and - white hawk - eagle , stygian owl , and black vulture . of them , the black vulture is the most ubiquitous and is increasing in numbers along with the human population . a group of vultures can overpower a falcon’s aggressive defense and consume its eggs or young . they also usurp prime nesting cliffs . more predatory than the turkey vulture and the much less common king vulture , they forage by sight , attacking and killing small animals and fledgling birds .
a group of vultures can overpower a falcon’s aggressive defense and consume its eggs or young . black vulture is the most ubiquitous and is increasing in numbers along with the human population . black vulture by jordan rolen / macaulay library .
scott newbold leads our current field team , aided by local naturalists jonathan urbina and rony jobel and our rock - climbing specialist matt allshouse . they visit orange - breasted falcon territories multiple times each season to assess occupancy and productivity . africanized bees limited our banding activities prior to 2011 , when we began using full - body bee suits despite the heat and discomfort . we use color - coded leg bands with white letters and numerals as safe and permanent markers for future demographic studies . we do not capture adults or use radio telemetry because of the inherent risks to the small , fragile population . we rely on old - fashioned fieldwork , with the aid of boots , binoculars , and bug spray !
orange - breasted falcons occupy their territories year - round and typically are found in areas of towering cliffs within vast expanses of moist tropical and subtropical mature forest in the vicinity of water . cliffs in belize and guatemala are large ( typically 125 meters high and 250 meters wide ) with obscure ledges , potholes , and crevices , which provide shade from the blazing tropical sun and safety from predators . there are few tree - nesting records , possibly because trees offer less protection from predators and the sun’s heat . the species is not known to nest in tropical savannah—suitable habitat for lookalike species such as bat and aplomado falcons . some researchers suggest that orange - breasted falcons are birds of edges , borders , and clearings adjacent to montane forest , which may offer more rewarding hunting opportunities . we have found that the species does frequent a mosaic of habitats , including farmed fields , orchards , and pasturelands—but only if mature forest is the dominant community .
these falcons are extremely fast flyers and though no study has been done to measure their speed , biologists who have observed these birds in fast pursuit believe they could even be faster than the peregrine falcon , one of the fastest animals on earth ! orange - breasted falcons use several different hunting strategies to capture their prey . the most often perch on high , exposed snags , which give them a great view over the tree canopy or adjacent valleys . once prey is spotted , they might chase their quarry in direct pursuit over the canopy , sometimes making steep climbs into the air before falling in a short stoop onto their prey . they also may pursue their dinner in a very fast horizontal tail - chase or scan the sky for swifts and other high - flying birds and go up to meet them in the air .
like most other falcons , orange - breasted falcons do not build their own nests . instead , they often make small depressions in the substrate of ledges or in crevices of cliffs or sink holes . in guatemala , biologists found a pair nesting on a mayan temple in tikal national park , and they know of one instance of this species nesting in a palm tree . in south america , biologists have documented the falcons nesting under clumps of plants growing on large trees and in natural cavities of large trees , at the base of fronds of palm trees , and on cliffs .
captive - release programs are typically employed only as a lastditch effort when species have been extirpated from all or much of their former range . but we believe that active species rescue is preferable to watchful waiting . our goal is to introduce unrelated captive - bred falcons to the local population . these individuals have the potential to enhance genetic variation , stabilize recruitment deficits , and help mitigate population declines . because dna fingerprinting indicates that the orange - breasted falcons in central and south america are a single population without subspecies , the risk of introducing maladaptive genes into the population is minimal .
species that are highly specialized ecologically and have small , isolated populations are prone to population declines and local extirpation . both territorial occupancy and productivity in our core study population in belize have dropped by half since the 1990s . the number of eyries has fallen from 12 to 6 with only 2 failed attempts to reoccupy one of the eyries . productivity in belize and guatemala was close to one young per active eyrie in the 1990s but has declined to ~ 0 . 5 since 2003 ( berry et al . 2010 ) . productivity in both countries has been highly variable in recent years with a record low of only two young fledged in 2012 , 15 in 2013 ( including 5 young with a captive - bred parent ) , and back to a more typical 8 young in 2014 fledged from 15 eyries . the maintenance level for the well - studied peregrine falcon is more than double with one or more young per active eyrie . whether an extraordinary year now and then like the one we experienced in 2013 is sufficient to sustain a long - lived species such as the orange - breasted falcon is unknown . if that good year does not materialize , the risk of entering an extinction vortex is great .
our research has revealed many of the orange - breasted falcon’s mysteries , and yet we have barely scratched the surface when it comes to fully understanding its population dynamics , the carrying capacity of its environment , its fecundity , longevity , and recruitment needs , the impacts of weather , parasites , and predators , and the consequences of anthropogenic activities . we are banding chicks to help analyze population viability and increasing fledging success by applying prophylactic treatments for parasites . we have experimented with vulture exclusion nest boxes , and we are enhancing genetic variation by introducing unrelated captive - bred falcons . but none of these initiatives is likely to succeed unless the local people embrace a strong conservation ethic . in partnership with the cornell lab of ornithology and university of wyoming , we are developing elementary school education programs in central america , focusing on the important role of raptors in the environment . we are making a difference but our success will depend on public support and enlightened future management .
two of six occupied territories in guatemala are located outside tikal national park and have no protection . they are threatened by rapidly expanding rural communities with a much higher rate of deforestation , colonization , agriculture , and subsistence hunting than in belize . even though falcon occupancy and productivity have been more stable in guatemala than belize , the inevitable correlates of human progress are likely to have a greater negative impact over time .
conservation : friedmann ( 1950 ) summarized the known history of the orange - breasted falcon with the terse comment ,
apparently nowhere numerous ,
and it remains poorly known and scarce to the present time . cade ( 1982 ) regarded it as probably the most sparsely distributed falcon in the world , and he suspected that the total population might be no more than a few thousand individuals . the reasons for its scarcity are not apparent , as noted by collar ( 1986 ) . it is clearly endangered in the northern mesoamerican portion of its range and very rare or extinct in central america south of belize and el petén , guatemala ( thorstrom et al . 2002 ) . there is little evidence to suggest that it was ever more than rare or uncommon there within historical times . it is probably more common , but still poorly known and locally distributed , in the humid lowlands and foothills of south america east of the andes . there appears to be no reason to suspect a population decline at this time , other than locally due to habitat loss , but the low population size in northern central america ( the only area where it has been relatively well studied ) and its absence from other apparently suitable areas are causes for vigilance . it is ominous that peter jenny visited many of the known specimen localities for this species in the early 1980s , but found suitable forest habitat remaining at only one of them ( cade 1982 ) . collar et al . ( 1994 ) considered this to be a globally near threatened species , but it iwas still categorized as a species of
least concern
by birdlife international . in 2012 , however , birdlife changed its status to near threatened . more . . . .
like all birds of prey , orange - breasted falcons are visually oriented and their eyesight is eight times better than ours . how do we know this , since we cannot see through their eyes ? we know because they have eight times the numbers of visual cells ( rods and cones ) in their retinas than we do . even as young chicks , they pick up on small movements , such as a fly buzzing nearby , a rustle in the grass , or a passing bird flying overhead . biologists who were caring for young falcons prior to their release in our restoration program noticed that the young birds were fascinated with a ceiling fan . they focused intently on it , moving their heads in sync with the rotating blades ! their lives depend on their ability to locate and identify prey flying high up in the sky or moving deftly across open areas in the forest canopy or rivers where these falcons hunt .
six pairs reside in guatemala , all in the petén department , which includes tikal national park . the topography is gently rolling , broken in a few areas by steep karst terrain with few large escarpments , limiting the abundance of the falcons . elevations range from 100 to 300 meters . the climate is lowland tropical , warmer and wetter than the mountains of belize . the warm , moist tropical environment , coupled with a pronounced dry season for nesting , may be critical ingredients for the falcon’s specialized niche .
following their first week of exploration , the young falcons begin aerial games of chase , which soon become spectacular high - speed mock attacks . they also play keep away , plucking a pinecone or small stick from a tree , or catching a hapless butterfly or a giant flying grasshopper , and carrying it aloft , daring the others to “catch me if you can . ” following an intense pursuit , the prize is dropped , triggering a mad dive by the participants to retrieve it and renew the game . these chases are thrilling to watch as the falcons twist and dodge between the trees , flying at speeds comparable to that of a major league fastball pitch . orange - breasted falcons may be among the fastest falcons in the world . although these games may look like play to us , they have deadly serious survival implications as the young falcons hone their hunting skills . losing a meal struck down over the canopy could later mean the difference between life and death by starvation .
like other falcons , orange - breasted falcons are also extremely agile flyers . when they are young , they develop amazing flying skills through hard work and practice in what appears to us like playing games . just as a cat
plays
with a toy mouse , these young falcons play to hone their future hunting skills . we have had the privilege of watching these young birds in action ! in the first weeks after they fledge from the nest , the young falcons play “tag” by chasing one another , twisting , turning and diving after each other through the air . the wind makes a loud whooshing noise as they pass relatively low to the ground . another popular game is
keep away
with sticks or pine cones . they fly close to a pine tree and grab a pine cone with their talons . all the while , other young falcons are in hot pursuit . the bird carrying the cone eventually drops it , a buddy catches it in midair , and the chase continues . soon , they practice catching butterflies and large grasshoppers and eventually small migrating birds , such as swallows flying south over the forest canopy in the fall . eventually , these falcons no longer need parental care and feeding .
although 2013 was a very good year , it was marred by the loss of three of seven young falcons—two captive - bred young and one of b1 and caya’s youngsters . overwhelming evidence points to predation by a black - and - white hawk - eagle , the first such losses in five years of releases at the current hack site . juveniles are vulnerable , especially when they are roaming the countryside . we witnessed one unsuccessful hawk - eagle attack , when one of the young falcons managed to dive into the canyon to pick up speed and maneuverability and escaped . in flat country , he would probably have been killed . black - and - white hawk - eagles hunt unseen from the clouds , stooping like a falcon to surprise their victims before they can react or sound a warning alarm .
our hack - site attendants—typically college students exploring options for graduate school—care for the young falcons during daylight hours . our role is to provide food , guidance , and protection . the attendants quickly identify and bond with each falcon through its vocalizations , wing beat , appearance , and unique personality . some falcons are sociable and friendly ; others are withdrawn , cautious , or even grumpy like a spoiled child . the attendants are like surrogate parents , initially hand - feeding and then guiding the development of essential social and hunting skills , many of which the birds seem to learn by trial and error and by watching their parents . the best part of my job as manager , apart from being there at the site , is to interpret the falcons’ behavior for the hack - site attendants and direct future activities in nightly emails .
food and feeding behavior : relative to its overall body size , this species probably has the largest feet of any falcon and also a particularly large beak , adaptations for capturing its prey , medium - sized to large birds ( particularly doves , parakeets , and swifts ) , bats , and large insects , in flight . in the well - studied nesting population in guatemala and belize , birds comprised 85 . 7 % and bats 14 . 3 % of the 105 observed prey items , and nearly half of the avian prey weighed between 25 - 75 g ( baker et al . 1998 ) . for unknown reasons , the observed hunting success ( only 4 % for 208 attempts ) is among the lowest documented for any raptor ( baker et al . op cit . ) . these falcons generally perch on high , exposed snags , sallying forth to pursue aerial prey in direct merlin - like pursuit over the canopy , either in steep climbs terminating in a short stoop or in a very fast tail - chase ; they may scan the sky for swifts and other high - flying birds and go up to meet them in the air ( jenny and cade 1986 ) . jenny saw birds stooping in peregrine fashion on two occasions , and haverschmidt ( 1968 ) also described the method of hunting , stooping on birds in flight , as like that of the peregrine . baker et al . ( 1998 ) observed three instances of cooperative hunting by pairs . more . . . .
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urltoken
thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .
sacc . 2005 and updates . a classification of the bird species of south america . available at : urltoken .
based on a model of future deforestation in the amazon basin , as well as evidence of declines elsewhere within its extensive range , it is suspected that the total population of this species is undergoing ongoing declines at the rate of 25 - 30 % over three generations , and it has therefore been uplisted to near threatened .
has a range covering much of latin america . the most northerly limit of its distribution is in southern
, at calama , in 2007 ( jara 2008 ) . declines in territory occupancy , average annual fledgling production per pair and the overall breeding productivity of the population were noted between 1992 - 1997 and 2003 - 2009 in belize ( berry
. 2011 ) . the small population ( c . 30 pairs ) in belize and guatemala appears to be isolated ( berry
partners in flight estimated the population to number fewer than 50 , 000 individuals ( a . panjabi in litt . 2008 ) , thus it is placed in the band 20 , 000 - 49 , 999 individuals here . trend justification : this species is suspected to lose 23 . 9 - 27 . 5 % of suitable habitat within its distribution over three generations ( 18 years ) based on a model of amazonian deforestation ( soares - filho et al . 2006 , bird et al . 2011 ) . it has some tolerance of forest degradation , but is poorly known and therefore suspected to decline by a rate approaching 30 % over three generations .
this species occurs in a range of habitats , including lowland forest , savanna edges , drier regions such as the chaco , and subtropical mountain slopes . it also occurs in human - modified landscapes , but only if mature forest is the dominant habitat ( berry
. 2010 ) . it is found mostly up to 1 , 100 m , but has been recorded at c . 2 , 900 m ( carrión and vargas 2008 ) . it is a highly specialised hunter of flying prey , mainly birds , but also bats . in guatemala and belize , courtship begins in february and offspring fledge in may and june . the nest is built on a cliff face , or rarely in a tree , often near water ( del hoyo
2011 ) , although the clearance , fragmentation and degradation of its forest habitat is expected to be a significant threat to the species throughout much of its range . the species , however , exhibits some tolerance of forest fragmentation and degradation , being recorded in modified landscapes with cultivated fields , orchards and pastures ( berry
. 2010 ) , and it has been found nesting in dead trees in cattle pastures ( a . lees
2011 ) . this suggests that it is not in rapid decline as a result . a further problem associated with habitat loss appears to be its displacement from nest sites by black vulture
. 2010 ) . the species may suffer a low level of direct persecution by humans , and average nesting success appears to be depressed by frequent predation , at least in some areas . the species may also be negatively impacted by the presence of africanised bees
this species occurs in a number of protected areas throughout its extensive range . fundación proaves colombia has designated a reserve in the east andes specifically for the protection of this species ( t . donegan
carry out a periodic meta - analysis of all known records and conduct further surveys to study the species ' s range , population size and trends . monitor habitat trends across its range . encourage the protection of nests by land - owners . investigate methods for reducing the impacts of black vultures and other predators and nest competitors ( berry
. 2010 ) . expand the protected area network to effectively protect ibas . effectively resource and manage existing and new protected areas , utilising emerging opportunities to finance protected area management with the joint aims of reducing carbon emissions and maximizing biodiversity conservation . conservation on private lands , through expanding market pressures for sound land management and preventing forest clearance on lands unsuitable for agriculture , is also essential ( soares - filho
2006 ) . campaign against proposed changes to the brazilian forest code that would lead to a decrease in the width of the areas of riverine forest protected as permanent preservation areas ( apps ) , which function as vital corridors in fragmented landscapes .
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authors : robert berry , christopher l . wood , and brian l . sullivan
this species account is dedicated in honor of robert berry , member of the cornell lab of ornithology ' s administrative board .
berry , r . , c . l . wood , and b . l . sullivan ( 2009 ) .
) , version 1 . 0 . in neotropical birds online ( t . s . schulenberg , editor ) . cornell lab of ornithology , ithaca , ny , usa .
though the young falcons are raised in wyoming , they are released far from there in the country of belize . when these young falcons are 20 - 40 days old , they are transported directly to belize , thanks to the generous support of lighthawk , a flying service for conservation . some of our released males have mated with wild females and produced eggs or young chicks .
little is known about the species’ density in south america other that it is rare but widely dispersed geographically . some biologists estimate that their total population may have never been more than a few thousand individuals – and there are even fewer today .
when she is ready , the female typically lays three relatively large reddish - brown eggs over a six - day period . more than most other birds of prey , the female does most of the incubation for about 30 days and brooding of the chicks for about two weeks . while she is busy keeping the eggs and young at just the right temperature , the male works hard to provide all of her and the nestlings’ food . should he perish , the chicks are not likely to survive , as the female seldom leaves the nest unprotected . this is hard work for the male and after the chicks hatch , he must be diligent in finding enough for his family to eat . several times a day , he returns to the nest site with prey – often a bird that he has prepared by removing all the feathers , wings and legs . he and the female will often exchange food in mid - air and the female will carry it back to the nest where she will delicately feed tidbits to her young .
at around 40 days after hatching , the young fly for the first time . however , they stay in their parents ' territory for many months while they learn to hunt and live independently . during this important time in the young chicks ' lives , the parents continue to bring them food . but now , instead of tearing off small pieces to feed to them , the parents bring them whole prey so the young birds learn to tear the meat and feed on their own .
the peregrine fund is a 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) non - profit organization . our federal ein is 23 - 1969973
hbw alive contains information on descriptive notes , voice , habitat , food and feeding , breeding , movements , status and conservation plus a list of bibliographical references for this species account .
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thore noernberg , fernando enrique , joselito nardy ribeiro , pieter de groot boersma , herve jacob , ciro albano , carlos cuñado strelkov .
carlos cuñado strelkov , joselito nardy ribeiro , thore noernberg , richardgreenhalgh031 , arthur grosset , anselmo d affonseca , joe tobias , lmarce , dusan m . brinkhuizen , gustavo magnago , mikko pyhälä , agustin carrasco , gustavo diniz mendes de carvalho , octavio rios , john f . kvarnbäck , adam riley .
read this article in its original magazine layout , from the autumn 2014 issue of living bird [ 2 mb pdf download ] .
a brief electrical storm delayed aaron’s ascent and forced all three of us to hunker against the cliff . then we heard the muffled cry , “bees ! ” as aaron emerged amid a cloud of angry africanized “killer” bees that obscured his face . “cut the damn rope ! ” he shouted , spitting bees from his mouth . free of the rope , aaron bolted for the safety of a nearby waterhole , with oscar and i close behind , tripping and stumbling in a futile effort to outrun the angry horde . we plunged into the water , but whenever we surfaced , the bees attacked , and no amount of splashing deterred them . a waterfall at the head of the pool was shallow enough for us to stand under its protective veil . we were safe , temporarily , but the choice was clear—we must either escape from the bees or perish from hypothermia under the waterfall . i finally burst out the opposite side of the waterfall , scaled a small cliff , and crawled rapidly through the tall “dumb grass , ” oblivious to stings from a few scouts . my comrades followed .
in this1994 picture , aaron baker ( left ) , the author ( center ) , and oscar aguirre ( baker’s guatemalan assistant ) prepare to climb the macal river eyrie cliff , which looms in the background . photo by robert b . berry .


the sumba myzomela ( myzomela dammermani ) is a species of bird in the family meliphagidae .

it is endemic to sumba in the western lesser sunda islands of indonesia , where it is found in forest with a significant component of deciduous trees .

sumba myzomela

select an image : 1 . sumba myzomela > > female 2 . sumba myzomela > > male 3 . sumba myzomela > > male 4 . sumba myzomela > > male 5 . sumba myzomela > > male 6 . sumba myzomela > > male 7 . sumba myzomela > > male 8 . sumba myzomela > > male
sumba myzomela ( myzomela dammermani ) is a species of bird in the meliphagidae family .
the rote myzomela has ( 31 december 2017 ) been described as a new species :
myzomela irianawidodoae
, rote myzomela .
the rote myzomela has now ( 31 december 2017 ) been described as a new species :
myzomela irianawidodoae
, rote myzomela .
the rote myzomela has now ( 31 december 2017 ) been described as a new species :
myzomela irianawidodoae
, the rote myzomela .
not globally threatened . restricted - range species : present in sumba eba . total population on sumba estimated at 129 , 600 individuals , based on density of 120 birds / km² in . . .
higgins , p . , christidis , l . & ford , h . ( 2018 ) . sumba myzomela ( myzomela dammermani ) . in : del hoyo , j . , elliott , a . , sargatal , j . , christie , d . a . & de juana , e . ( eds . ) . handbook of the birds of the world alive . lynx edicions , barcelona . ( retrieved from urltoken on 9 july 2018 ) .
sometimes treated as conspecific with m . kuehni and m . erythrocephala . population on roti ( off sw timor ) commonly treated within present species , but almost certainly an undescribed taxon ; perhaps a separate species , with vocalizations very distinct from those of sumba birds # r . monotypic .
recommended citation birdlife international ( 2018 ) species factsheet : myzomela dammermani . downloaded from urltoken on 09 / 07 / 2018 . recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species : birdlife international ( 2018 ) iucn red list for birds . downloaded from urltoken on 09 / 07 / 2018 .
11 cm . male is distinctive , with dark red head and neck forming hood , sharply demarcated from blackish mantle , back and scapulars , and with narrow clear - cut black loral . . .
mainly primary forest , especially deciduous forest , and often seen at forest edge ; recorded also in . . .
no details of diet . seen mainly in middle storey to canopy levels of forest ; of 84 observations , 77·4 % in canopy ( more than 15 m . . .
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internal sequence based mainly on findings of recent phylogenetic studies # r # r , with a few modifications # r # r .
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this map displays aggregated data from ibc and my birding ( anonymously ) ; markers do not indicate precise localities .
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this species has a very 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 ) . the population trend is not known , but the population is not believed to be decreasing sufficiently rapidly to approach the thresholds 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 .
sonogram images © xeno - canto foundation . sonogram images share the same license terms as the recording they depict .
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