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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
The Azores bullfinch (Pyrrhula murina Godman, 1866) is a rare Passeriformes endemic from
the eastern part of São Miguel Island, Azores, Portugal. This bird was almost considered extinct
in the first half of the 20th century, but due to recent conservation measures, it has experienced a
recovery since the beginning of the 2000s. Despite the attention given to this bird, the size of its
population is still controversial, and the most recent studies present significant divergences on this
behalf. The purpose of the present study is to present data from the long-term monitoring and
results of the third single-morning survey of the Azores bullfinch to update information about the
population size and range of this species. In addition, we performed a literature review to highlight
the limitations and advantages of the different approaches for monitoring this species. The Azores
Bullfinch records during the single-morning survey indicated a reduction in the extent of occurrence
and area of occupancy of this species in comparison with the previous studies, despite the increase in
bird detection. However, we suggest that the distribution range of this species needs further analysis
concerning its area to exclude non suitable habitats from this analysis. In this study, we conclude that
the most likely size of the Azores bullfinch population is 500 to 800 couples, with a slow population
growth tendency and an area of distribution of 136.5 km2.
Description
Keywords
bird census conservation Pyrrhula murina oceanic islands Macaronesia Laurel Forest
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Costa, T.d.M.M.; Gil, A.; Timóteo, S.; Ceia, R.S.; Coelho, R.; de la Cruz Martin, A. How many Azores Bullfinches (Pyrrhula murina) are there in the world? Case study of a threatened species. Diversity 2023, 15, 685.
Publisher
MDPI