Order
Passeriformes
Family
Furnariidae
Genus
Synallaxis
 
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Version 1.0

This is a historic version of this account.  Current version

SPECIES

Russet-bellied Spinetail Synallaxis zimmeri

Huw Lloyd
Version: 1.0 — Published January 14, 2009

Priorities for Future Research

Introduction

Almost all aspects of the life history of the Russet-bellied Spinetail are poorly-known. Parker et al. (1996) consider the species to be of ‘Medium Research Priority’ but this almost certainly requires uplisting to 'High Research Priority'. The documentation of any aspect of its behaviour and recordings of its vocalisations will make a significant contribution in identifying new populations and the conservation of existing ones. The most urgent need is for quantitative surveys of the population status and precise habitat requirements of each of the known populations using standardised population-habitat census methods. Without such data, we will be unable to determine the nature of the relationship between particular features of the scrub habitat and the species' abundance, or predict the abundance of the species in unsurveyed areas. Future investigations must determine whether populations are stable or declining, enabling us to better predict the possible consequences of future changes in Andean rural land-use patterns, themselves brought about by climate change. Establishment of a series of communal reserves at known populations through non-profit management, which includes a more sympathetic (community-based) approach to livestock grazing coupled with ecological monitoring of habitat regeneration are also urgently required.

Finally, dispersal/movement studies between sites should also be encouraged, involving a more integrated ecological/genetic approach using (and monitoring of) colour-marked or radio-tagged individuals. This would greatly improve our understanding of the connectivity between populations across landscapes, and provide the basis for comment on the potential of gene flow.

Recommended Citation

Lloyd, H. (2009). Russet-bellied Spinetail (Synallaxis zimmeri), version 1.0. In Neotropical Birds Online (T. S. Schulenberg, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/nb.rubspi3.01