Deforestation taking a heavy toll on international bird haven

Black-throated brilliant. A blac-coloured bird with green and purple detail on the feathres and a very long beak

Black-throated brilliant. Image credit: Pablo Negret

Black-throated brilliant. Image credit: Pablo Negret

An analysis has found deforestation is severely affecting forest bird species in Colombia, home to the greatest number of bird species in the world.

University of Queensland-led research, steered by Dr Pablo Negret, analysed the impact of deforestation on 550 bird species, including 69 only found in the South American nation.

“Our study has shown an astonishing reduction in bird species habitat,” Dr Negret said.

“One third of the forest bird species in Colombia have lost at least a third of their historical habitat, and that’s just using the most recent data we have available – from 2015.

“Moreover, 18 per cent or 99 species have lost more than half of their historical habitat to date.

“By 2040, we expect this will increase to 38 per cent or 209 species.

“Sadly, many of those species are endemic to the country and are not currently classified as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, suggesting that there are many unlisted species that face an imminent extinction threat from ongoing habitat loss.”

Closeup of a map of Colombia

A map of Colombia

A map of Colombia

Dr Pablo Negret cradling a rufous motmot in a jungle setting, wearing a cream-coloured shirt. The bird has green-coloured wings and an orange body with a black mark over the eyes and beak

UQ's Dr Pablo Negret cradling a rufous motmot.

UQ's Dr Pablo Negret cradling a rufous motmot.

A close up of the head of a white-tipped sicklebill. The beak is a curved shape, pointing down.

White-tipped sicklebill

The head of a scaly-breasted woodpecker, with orange and red coloured feathers and a white beak.

Scaly-breasted woodpecker

White-tipped sicklebill

Scaly-breasted woodpecker

Dr Negret said the results were concerning but not surprising.

“Deforestation is one of the main drivers of habitat loss for many species in the tropics,” he said.

“We know that deforestation affects thousands of species in these ecosystems, but our attention is usually focused on a tiny fraction – threatened and charismatic species.

“This study provides more data on species previously thought abundant that are actually dwindling – hopefully we can shine a light on them, so they can be recognised as under threat and don’t fall through the cracks.”

The researchers used historical and present satellite forest cover data, while collating spatial information on other variables associated with deforestation patterns.

Graphic with four maps of Colombia showing historic and projected habitat loss for forest dependent birds from 572, to Historic, to 2015 to 2040.

Historic and projected habitat loss for forest dependent birds

Historic and projected habitat loss for forest dependent birds

UQ’s Professor Martine Maron said the research would help predict future habitat loss for already-threatened species.

“This methodology, and the technologies behind it, allow us to identify places where future habitat loss is predicted.

“This means that we can reveal the locations where threatened species are most likely to lose precious habitat, and prioritise their protection.

“And, in a country with growing threats to rich bird diversity, it pays to be ahead of the game.”

The authors hope the Colombian government and NGOs working in this space will use the research to guide conservation of Colombia’s bird species.

The study is published in Biological Conservation (DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109044).

A golden-collared toucanet, which is is a multi-coloured bird with patches of various colours including red, green and yellow with vivid yellow eyes and a red and blue coloured beak.

Golden-collared toucanet

Golden-collared toucanet

A striped manakin whih has green and black-tinged wings, a brown, white and grey body, a green head with red on the top of a brown peak. It's sitting on someone's fingers.

Striped manakin

Striped manakin

The head of a purple honeycreeper, which is actually royal blue and black in colour with black on the belly and around the eyes. It has a curved black beak.

Purple honeycreeper

Purple honeycreeper

A rufous motmot which is orange, green and blue in colour, with a back beak and black ring around the eyes

Rufous motmot

Rufous motmot

A yellow-bellied tanager sitting on someone's fingers. It's yellow, green, light blue and black in colour, with the wings blue with green stripes and the body mostly yellow with patches of other colours.

Yellow-bellied tanager

Yellow-bellied tanager

A picture of two yellow-throated toucans sitting on a branch with the blue sky behind. They have dark coloured bodies, but mostly yellow heads and the top section of beak is also yellow.

Yellow-throated toucan

Yellow-throated toucan

A green-backed trogon sitting on a man's hand/ It has a dark blue and black head, white beak, black wings with white stripes, a yellow belly and vivid green on its back.

Green-backed trogon

Green-backed trogon

A cream-coloured woodpecker sitting on a gloved hand. It's yellow in colour with a tufted head and a yellow break. Some of the wings and tail feathers are brown.

Cream-colored woodpecker

Cream-colored woodpecker

A close-up of the head of a white-plumed antbird. Its body is grey in colour, with a red throat, a black head and a white tufted feather just above the black-coloured beak.

White-plumed antbird

White-plumed antbird

A black-faced antbird, sitting on a man's fingers. It is predominantly yellow and brown in colour, with different hues on its wings, a brown and black head with a white throat and some black-coloured spots underneath.

Black-faced antbird

Black-faced antbird

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A golden-collared toucanet, which is is a multi-coloured bird with patches of various colours including red, green and yellow with vivid yellow eyes and a red and blue coloured beak.

Golden-collared toucanet

Golden-collared toucanet

A striped manakin whih has green and black-tinged wings, a brown, white and grey body, a green head with red on the top of a brown peak. It's sitting on someone's fingers.

Striped manakin

Striped manakin

The head of a purple honeycreeper, which is actually royal blue and black in colour with black on the belly and around the eyes. It has a curved black beak.

Purple honeycreeper

Purple honeycreeper

A rufous motmot which is orange, green and blue in colour, with a back beak and black ring around the eyes

Rufous motmot

Rufous motmot

A yellow-bellied tanager sitting on someone's fingers. It's yellow, green, light blue and black in colour, with the wings blue with green stripes and the body mostly yellow with patches of other colours.

Yellow-bellied tanager

Yellow-bellied tanager

A picture of two yellow-throated toucans sitting on a branch with the blue sky behind. They have dark coloured bodies, but mostly yellow heads and the top section of beak is also yellow.

Yellow-throated toucan

Yellow-throated toucan

A green-backed trogon sitting on a man's hand/ It has a dark blue and black head, white beak, black wings with white stripes, a yellow belly and vivid green on its back.

Green-backed trogon

Green-backed trogon

A cream-coloured woodpecker sitting on a gloved hand. It's yellow in colour with a tufted head and a yellow break. Some of the wings and tail feathers are brown.

Cream-colored woodpecker

Cream-colored woodpecker

A close-up of the head of a white-plumed antbird. Its body is grey in colour, with a red throat, a black head and a white tufted feather just above the black-coloured beak.

White-plumed antbird

White-plumed antbird

A black-faced antbird, sitting on a man's fingers. It is predominantly yellow and brown in colour, with different hues on its wings, a brown and black head with a white throat and some black-coloured spots underneath.

Black-faced antbird

Black-faced antbird

Media: Pablo Negret (Brisbane, Australia), p.negret@uq.edu.au, +61 401 177 199; Professor Martine Maron (Brisbane, Australia), m.maron@uq.edu.au, +61 417 110 537; Dominic Jarvis, dominic.jarvis@uq.edu.au, +61 413 334 924.