Short-Crested Coquette: Caleigh Smith

¡Coqueta Cresticorta!

Short-Crested Coquette; Lophornis Brachylophus
By: Caleigh Smith

Description and Ecology:

The Short Crested Coquette (Lophornis Brachylophus), or in spanish, “Coqueta Cresticorta” is a hummingbird part of the Trochilidae family. This Short Crested Coquette is a tiny hummingbird-on average about 7 centimeters. The male birds have bronze-green upper parts paired with cinnamon-colored underparts. In contrast with the females who have white upper parts and cinnamon-colored underparts. These hummingbirds are generally silent animals, but on occasion will have sharp chirps. Fieldwork in 2011 discovered that about 8 species of plant is used by the short crested coquette, along with documentation that they have positive interactions with other hummingbird species; they are not territorial.

Geographic and Population Changes:

The Short-Crested Coquette is native to Mexico and is only known for existing on a 25 km stretch of Puerto de Gallo road in the Sirrea de Atoyac village. Research also indicates that it is likely to be restricted to the Sierra Madre del Sur in Guerroro, Mexico. All records of the short-crested coquette have been recorded in the villages of Arroyo Grande, Paraíso, and Nueva Dehli. Estimates show that there around 250-999 mature individuals, and all together around 375-1500 short-crested coruquettes. Their current population trend is decreasing and research shows that the species is expected to continue decreasing at a rate of 10-19% over the span of the next 10 years- which at this rate will lead to their demise. The figure above depicts the only sites in the world that the Short-Crested Coquette is found, and it also depicts the one road that they are found near.

Listing Date and Type of Listing:

The Short-Crested Coquette was discovered in Mexico in 1949. It is part of the Animalia Kingdom and is a species of Hummingbird that belongs to the Trochilidae family. This species was registered as "endangered" in 1994 and 1996, but since 2000 this species has been on the "critically endangered" list.

Cause of Listing/Main Threats:

In the early 1990's, when the species was listed as "endangered", much of the short-crested croquette's habitat was degraded for agrilcutlural purposes of cultivating of maize, fruit and coffee. What remains of the fragmented forest land is now used for cover for illegal drug activities. The biggest threat that this species faces is not having quality environments that are available for them to live in. Bosque Nuboso Civilian Association

Description of Recovery Plan:

The Bosque Nuboso Civilian Association has put into a place project where they have designated a protected and uninhabited area in the village of Sierra de Atoyac that the Short-Crested Coquetta would be able to live in. This habitat will give them a place to thrive in and the association will also test impacts of shade of coffee trees as well as altitudinal movements on them. The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund also funded a project that allowed research to discover how the Short-Crested Coquette can co-exsit with agricultural external factors, and also how to conserve the species in order to make up for the loss of it. Specifically, the Disney Worldwide Conservation fund participated in researching different farming practices that would be less harmful to the species, the requirements of a habitat needed to the species, developing a training and education course for the community in order to raise awareness for the concern. 

What Can YOU Do?
The main threat to the Short-Crested Coquette is habitat degredation  so the main way that we can help this species is support them through legislation of protecting their habitat. This includes land/water protection as well as site/area protection. Also, supporting other laws such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which serves to prevent the illegal trading of this species. You can also donate here: https://www.arkive.org/donate.html to the Windscreen Arkive which specifically deals with supporting the prevention of endangering species of birds. Through the donataions that they get they are able to conduct more research and get more data, they are able to give more opportunities to their photographers and videographers, and they are also able to use it towards educating schools as well as communities.  The table below depicts the ever decreasing trend of the species, and it also depicts the lack of evidence that we have on this species. If scientists and researchers had more money, opportunities and resources in order to help endangered animals- like the short-crested coquette- there would be much more awareness and much more help available to these animals. 

Sources:
http://maps.iucnredlist.org/map.html?id=22687196
http://www.arkive.org/short-crested-coquette/lophornis-brachylophus/
shttp://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/short-crested-coquette-lophornis-brachylophus/details
http://eol.org/pages/1065091/maps
https://www.arkive.org/donate.html