Russet-winged Spadebill Platyrinchus leucoryphus Scientific name definitions

The Russet-winged Spadebill is one of two species of Platyrinchus found in the Atlantic Forest region, the other being the considerably more abundant and widespread White-throated Spadebill (Platyrinchus mystaceus), which is smaller, with a shorter tail, and a rather better-marked face pattern. The present species, in contrast, is rare, and as a result of ongoing habitat destruction within its principally lowland haunts, is currently classified as Vulnerable according to IUCN criteria. It occurs, very locally, in primary and old secondary forest in southeast Brazil (from Espírito Santo to northeast Rio Grande do Sul), eastern Paraguay, and northeast Argentina, where the species is known solely from undocumented records at a single locality on the border with Brazil. It has been suggested that the Russet-winged Spadebill prefers forest with a relatively open understory, where small saplings provide a shady canopy but there is little undergrowth.

12·5 cm; 17 g. Largest spadebill. Has olive-brown crown with semi-concealed white coronal patch; bold facial pattern created by pale buff-white to yellowish supraloral spot, eyering, auricular patch below eye and arching postocular stripe, contrasting with dark brown lores, stripe beneath front of eye and rear auricular patch (in front of pale postocular stripe); upperparts olive-brown; wings brown, wing-coverts and remiges broadly edged russet; tail long, brown; throat white, contrasting olive-brown wash on breast and sides, dull yellow or white belly; iris dark brown; bill broad and flat, upper mandible black with yellow edges, lower mandible yellowish; legs pale orange to dull pinkish. Sexes similar. Juvenile undescribed.

SE Brazil (Paraná and São Paulo E to C Espírito Santo, S to NE Santa Catarina and NE Rio Grande do Sul) and adjacent E Paraguay (Canindeyú S to Paraguarí, Caazapá and Itapúa) and extreme NE Argentina (Iguazú National Park and Salto Encantado Provincial Park, in N Misiones).

VULNERABLE. Previously considered Near Threatened. Rare, and possibly local. Formerly listed as Vulnerable; recent change in conservation status based on accounts of an apparent tolerance of second growth, and apparent increase in records following improved knowledge of its vocalizations. Recent surveys in Paraguay, however, have failed to find new populations of the species, and documented populations are now known to be less extensive than was originally postulated; remains inexplicably rare in Argentina. Occurs in Iguaçu National Park, Augusto Ruschi Biological Reserve, Intervales State Park and at least 13 other nominally protected areas in Brazil, where this species is protected by law; also in Caaguazú and San Rafael National Parks and Mbaracayú Forest Nature Reserve, in Paraguay, and Iguazú National Park, in Argentina. Despite some tolerance of second growth, appears to be largely dependent on primary forest and to occur naturally at low densities; extensive and continuing deforestation across most of its range may have caused a population decline and led to its disappearance from previously occupied locations. Less than 20% of original extent of lowland Atlantic Forest remains intact, and surviving forest, even within protected areas, suffers from agricultural conversion, mining, urbanization, industrialization, and associated road-building; in Paraguay alone, 38% of forests disappeared between 1984 and 1991, less than 10% is now left, and significant forest loss occurs even within San Rafael National Park. Returning this species to its previous conservation status of Vulnerable may be appropriate.