Cryptic Treehunter (Cichlocolaptes mazarbarnetti)
Posted on 31 December, 2007 in Extinct
Year Last Seen:
2007
Comments:
Although this species inhabited a region where there is now a high level of observer awareness and searches in suitable habitat have been carried out by professional ornithologists, there have been no records since 2007. Extensive habitat loss has occurred in the region, and the remaining fragments are small and isolated (Butchart et al. 2018). Following the application of new methods for estimating the probability of a species remaining extant, the species is now considered to be Extinct. The species's decline was largely a result of logging and conversion of forest to sugarcane plantations and pastureland.
Habitat:
This species was found in the midstorey and subcanopy of dense, humid forests with an open understorey in hilly terrain (Mazar-Barnett and Buzzetti 2014, del Hoyo et al. 2019). It specialised in foraging in arboreal bromeliads (Pereira et al. 2014).
Causes:
Extensive habitat loss has occurred in the region, and the remaining fragments are small and isolated (Butchart et al. 2018). Forest at Murici has been reduced from 70 km2 in the 1970s to 30 km2 of highly disturbed and fragmented habitat in 1999 (J. M. Goerck in litt. 1999, 2000), largely as a result of logging and conversion to sugarcane plantations and pastureland. The site continues to be threatened by fires spreading from adjacent plantations, hunting, timber extraction and agriculture (J. M. Goerck in litt. 1999, 2000, A. Whittaker in litt. 1999, SAVE Brasil 2016). The bromeliads this species depended on have declined as a result of increased openness of fragmented forest remnants and the high temperatures caused by frequent burning of sugar cane waste materials (del Hoyo et al. 2019). The Frei Caneca private reserve and BirdLife/SAVE Brasil area are also still suffering from illegal charcoal exploitation (P. Develey in litt. 2007).
Distribution:
The Cryptic Treehunter was described in 2014, based on a specimen collected in 1986 (Mazar Barnett and Buzzetti 2014). The species has been found at only two sites in north east Brazil: Murici in Alagoas and Pedra d’Anta (Jaquiera) Reserve near Frei Caneca in Pernambuco (Pereira et al. 2014). Although the species inhabits a region where there is now a high level of observer awareness, searches in suitable habitat by professional ornithologists and a good number of park employees have produced no records since 2007 (Butchart et al. 2018). It has not been recorded since April 2007 in Murici and February 2005 in Pedra d’Anta (Pereira et al. 2014). Extensive habitat loss has occurred in the region, and the remaining fragments are small and isolated (Butchart et al. 2018). Following the application of new methods for estimating the probability of a species remaining extant (Akcakaya et al. 2017, Keith et al. 2017, Thompson et al. 2017) the probability of the species being extant was estimated at 0.018 based on records and surveys, and 0.083 based on threats (Butchart et al. 2018). Based on the probability thresholds recommended by Butchart et al. (2018), the species is now considered to be Extinct.