The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™

ISSN 2307-8235 (online)

IUCN 2019: T22696623A145801255
Scope: Global
Language: English

Podiceps taczanowskii, Junin Grebe

Assessment by: BirdLife International

View on www.iucnredlist.org

Citation: BirdLife International. 2019. Podiceps taczanowskii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened
Species 2019: e.T22696623A145801255. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-
3.RLTS.T22696623A145801255.en

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THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™

Taxonomy
Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family

Animalia Chordata Aves Podicipediformes Podicipedidae

Taxon Name:  Podiceps taczanowskii Berlepsch & Stolzmann, 1894

Common Name(s):
• English: Junin Grebe, Junín Grebe, Puna Grebe
Taxonomic Source(s):
SACC. 2005 and updates. A classification of the bird species of South America. Available at:
#http://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm#.

Identification Information:
35 cm. Slim, long-necked grebe with pointed-head appearance. Grey frontal area and auricular. Blackish
hind crown, continuing down upperside of neck. Completely dark upperparts. White throat to crissum,
mottled dusky on sides of breast and belly. Slender, mostly grey bill. Red iris and buffy tarsus. Immature
is greyer on flanks. Similar spp. Race juninensis of Silvery Grebe P. occipitalis is smaller, shorter necked,
and has shorter, mostly blackish bill. Voice Melodic whistles dooi'th and wit reported.

Assessment Information
Red List Category & Criteria: Critically Endangered C2a(ii) ver 3.1

Year Published: 2019

Date Assessed: February 25, 2019

Justification:
This species qualifies as Critically Endangered as it has undergone significant population declines, such
that an extremely small number of adults remain. Counts over recent years do not indicate an overall
decline, but the trend is precautionarily retained as declining due to the high level of uncertainty. If
population counts continue to show that the population is remaining stable or increasing, the species
may be downlisted to a lower category of threat in the future.

Previously Published Red List Assessments

2018 – Critically Endangered (CR)
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22696623A123986104.en

2016 – Critically Endangered (CR)

http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22696623A93574390.en

2015 – Critically Endangered (CR)

http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T22696623A78576457.en

2013 – Critically Endangered (CR)

http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-2.RLTS.T22696623A48032244.en

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2012 – Critically Endangered (CR)

2010 – Critically Endangered (CR)

2009 – Critically Endangered (CR)

2008 – Critically Endangered (CR)

2006 – Critically Endangered (CR)

2004 – Critically Endangered (CR)

2000 – Critically Endangered (CR)

1996 – Critically Endangered (CR)

1994 – Critically Endangered (CR)

1988 – Threatened (T)

Geographic Range
Range Description:
Podiceps taczanowskii is a flightless waterbird confined to Lake Junín in the highlands of Junín, west-
central Peru. It was extremely abundant in 1938 (Morrison 1939), and the population was probably well
over 1,000 birds in 1961 (O’Donnel and Fjeldsa 1997), but has undergone a severe decline since then
(Dinesen et al. 2019). In the early and mid-1980s there were c. 250 birds, but only 100 were counted in
1992, falling to around 50 in 1993 (Valqui 1994). New extrapolations in early 1995, using a different
methodology, estimated 205 individuals (O'Donnell and Fjeldså 1997). In August 1998, over 250
Podiceps sp. were found in 4 km2 of the lake (suggesting a total of 350-400 birds) and all those identified
(over 20) were P. taczanowskii (T. Valqui in litt. 1999). Counts in 2001, 2002 and 2007 using standardised
survey methods estimated the population at 304, 249 and 217 individuals respectively (ECOAN 2009).
Censuses in August 2014 and 2015 counted 315 and 238 birds, respectively (A. Chamorro and R. Tito per
Engblom 2016a, A. Chamorro per Engblom 2016b). In 2016, the population size was estimated at 468
individuals (Chamorro and Aucca 2017, Dinesen et al. 2019).

Country Occurrence:
Native: Peru

© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Podiceps taczanowskii – published in 2019. 2
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Distribution Map
Podiceps taczanowskii

© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Podiceps taczanowskii – published in 2019. 3
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Population
Different survey methods and identification challenges have made population estimates difficult.
However, surveys between 2007 and 2016 indicate a population of between 217 and 468 individuals
(ECOAN 2009, Engblom 2016a, b, Chamorro and Aucca 2017, Dinesen et al. 2019), roughly equating to
145 - 312 mature individuals, rounded here to 140 - 320 mature individuals.

Trend Justification
Trends for this species are unclear due to difficulties in carrying out reliable surveys and an apparently
fluctuating population size. Counts over recent years do not indicate an overall decline, but the trend is
precautionarily retained as declining due to the high level of uncertainty.
Current Population Trend:  Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology (see Appendix for additional information)

Lake Junín is fairly shallow and bordered by extensive reed marshes at 4,080 m. The grebe forages in
open water, near the shore in the (wet) breeding season (November-March), and in the centre of the
lake in the dry austral winter. It feeds mainly on small Orestias fish (which become scarce when the
reedbeds dry out [O'Donnell and Fjeldså 1997]), and invertebrate larvae and adults. Nests are built in
flooded reedbeds; clutch size is two eggs (O'Donnell and Fjeldså 1997). It is probably long-lived, and
invests little in recruitment per season (O'Donnell and Fjeldså 1997).

Systems:  Freshwater

Threats (see Appendix for additional information)

Declines followed a deterioration in water quality owing to mining activities, and extreme water-level
fluctuations (Valqui 1994). Water-level regulation for a hydroelectric plant supplying nearby mines
causes nesting and foraging areas to dry out, and breeding to fail. Mining activities also pollute the lake,
with the north-western part rendered lifeless by iron-oxide sedimentation (O'Donnell and Fjeldså 1997,
ECOAN 2009). The lake is also polluted by sewage from nearby towns, which causes eutrophication and
oxygen depletion and may lead to a reduction in the amount of fish available for the grebe to feed on
(Dinesen et al. 2019). Relatively unstable climatic conditions, linked to El Niño Southern Oscillation
events, may have contributed to large population fluctuations, with a recovery in years with high water
levels (e.g. 1997-1998) (T. Valqui in litt. 1999), and previous poor breeding successes. Although the
population has shown major fluctuations, its ability to recover were it to experience a series of poor
years is in doubt. Many individuals died during extreme cold conditions in 1982; similar conditions in
June 2007 gave cause for concern (G. Engblom in litt. 2007).

Conservation Actions (see Appendix for additional information)

Conservation Actions Underway

Lake Junín has been declared a national reserve. Hunting and fishing are regulated but little has been
done to interfere with the management of the water level, which is controlled by mining companies
(O'Donnell and Fjeldså 1997). An attempt was made to translocate grebes to a lake north of Junín;
capture and transfer were feasible, but the chosen lake (and others) was unsuitable because gill-nets are
used to fish rainbow trout (O'Donnell and Fjeldså 1997). In 2002, the Peruvian government passed an

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emergency law to protect the lake which makes provisions for its cleaning and places greater restrictions
on the extraction of water (Valqui 1994). In 2009 the species was adopted as a symbol of wetland
conservation in the high Andes by groups including BirdLife International, American Bird Conservancy,
ECOAN and INRENA, who have called for an independent environmental audit and continuous
environmental monitoring of the lake (BirdLife International 2009). ECOAN has been undertaking
conservation actions including a range of education and training activities with local communities, and
research and monitoring of the species's population size and threats (ECOAN 2016).

Conservation Actions Proposed

Monitor the population and reproductive success (O'Donnell and Fjeldså 1997, T. Valqui in litt. 1999,
Anon. 2007). Research the species's requirements throughout its life-cycle (O'Donnell and Fjeldså 1997).
Protect clean watercourses flowing into Lake Junin and improve legislation and enforcement to prevent
pollution (Dinesen et al. 2019). Identify and reduce sources of pollution in dialogue with local
stakeholders (Dinesen et al. 2019). Reduce fluctuations in water-levels as a result of discharges from the
hydropower dam (O'Donnell and Fjeldså 1997, Dinesen et al. 2019) with the agreement and
participation of the local mining company (Anon. 2007). Identify a lake for potential translocation of
individuals (O'Donnell and Fjeldså 1997) and consider establishing a captive-breeding population.
Develop ecotourism in the area including building a lookout platform for the lake to aid population
monitoring (Hirschfeld 2008).

Credits
Assessor(s): BirdLife International

Reviewer(s): Hermes, C.

Contributor(s): Angulo Pratolongo, F., Engblom, G., Fjeldså, J., Hennessey, A.B. & Valqui, T.

Facilitators(s) and Ashpole, J, Benstead, P., Bird, J., Calvert, R., Clay, R.P., Pilgrim, J., Sharpe, C.J.,
Compiler(s): Symes, A. & Wheatley, H.

© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Podiceps taczanowskii – published in 2019. 5
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Bibliography
Chamorro, A.; Aucca, C. 2017. Final report strategic conservation plan for the Junin Grebe (Podiceps
taczanowskii) at Lake Junin, Peru. ECOAN.

Dinesen, L.; Chamorro, A.; Fjeldsa, J.; Aucca, C. 2019. Long-term declines in waterbirds abundance at
Lake Juníi, Andean Peru. Bird Conservation International 29(1): 83-99.

ECOAN. 2016. Strategic conservation plan for the Junin grebe at Lake Junin. Peru - Project MBZ
16251279. Available at: http://www.ecoanperu.org/habitat-expantion-migratory-birds-junin-national-
reserve. (Accessed: 22nd January 2018).

Engblom, G. 2016. Nest success of Critically Threatened Junin Grebe. Available at:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/nest-success-of-critically-threatened-junin-grebe#/. (Accessed:
22nd January 2018).

Engblom, G. 2016. The Junin Grebe may go extinct and we did not even notice. Available at:
http://kolibriexpeditions.com/blog/junin-grebe-may-go-extinct-and-we-did-not-notice/. (Accessed:
22nd January 2018).

Hirschfeld, E. 2008. Rare Birds Yearbook 2009: the world's 190 most threatened birds. MagDig Media
Ltd., Shrewsbury, UK.

IUCN. 2019. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2019-3. Available at: www.iucnredlist.org.
(Accessed: 10 December 2019).

Morrison, A. 1939. Notes on the birds of Lake Junín, Central Peru. Ibis: 643-653.

O'Donnell, C.; Fjeldsa, J. 1997. Grebes: A global action plan for their conservation.

Valqui, T. 1994. The extinction of the Junín Flightless Grebe? Cotinga: 42-44.

Citation
BirdLife International. 2019. Podiceps taczanowskii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019:
e.T22696623A145801255. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T22696623A145801255.en

Disclaimer
To make use of this information, please check the Terms of Use.

External Resources
For Images and External Links to Additional Information, please see the Red List website.

© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Podiceps taczanowskii – published in 2019. 6
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 Appendix

Habitats
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)

Major
Habitat Season Suitability
Importance?

5. Wetlands (inland) -> 5.5. Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Freshwater Resident Suitable Yes
Lakes (over 8ha)

5. Wetlands (inland) -> 5.7. Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Freshwater Resident Suitable Yes
Marshes/Pools (under 8ha)

Threats
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)

Threat Timing Scope Severity Impact Score

11. Climate change & severe weather -> 11.5. Other Ongoing Whole (>90%) Causing/could Medium
impacts cause fluctuations impact: 7

Stresses: 2. Species Stresses -> 2.1. Species mortality

2. Species Stresses -> 2.3. Indirect species effects ->
2.3.7. Reduced reproductive success

7. Natural system modifications -> 7.2. Dams & water Ongoing Whole (>90%) Rapid declines High impact: 8
management/use -> 7.2.11. Dams (size unknown)
Stresses: 1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.1. Ecosystem conversion
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
2. Species Stresses -> 2.3. Indirect species effects ->
2.3.7. Reduced reproductive success

9. Pollution -> 9.1. Domestic & urban waste water -> Ongoing Whole (>90%) Unknown Unknown
9.1.1. Sewage
Stresses: 1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation

9. Pollution -> 9.2. Industrial & military effluents -> Ongoing Whole (>90%) Rapid declines High impact: 8
9.2.2. Seepage from mining
Stresses: 1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.1. Ecosystem conversion
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation

Conservation Actions in Place

(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)

Conservation Actions in Place

In-Place Research, Monitoring and Planning

Action Recovery plan: Yes

Systematic monitoring scheme: No

In-Place Land/Water Protection and Management

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 Conservation Actions in Place
Conservation sites identified: Yes, over entire range

Occur in at least one PA: Yes

Invasive species control or prevention: No

In-Place Species Management

Successfully reintroduced or introduced beningly: No

Subject to ex-situ conservation: No

In-Place Education

Subject to recent education and awareness programmes: Yes

Included in international legislation: No

Subject to any international management/trade controls: No

Conservation Actions Needed

(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)

Conservation Actions Needed

2. Land/water management -> 2.3. Habitat & natural process restoration

3. Species management -> 3.2. Species recovery

3. Species management -> 3.4. Ex-situ conservation -> 3.4.1. Captive breeding/artificial propagation

4. Education & awareness -> 4.3. Awareness & communications

5. Law & policy -> 5.1. Legislation -> 5.1.3. Sub-national level

5. Law & policy -> 5.4. Compliance and enforcement -> 5.4.3. Sub-national level

6. Livelihood, economic & other incentives -> 6.1. Linked enterprises & livelihood alternatives

Research Needed
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)

Research Needed
1. Research -> 1.3. Life history & ecology

3. Monitoring -> 3.1. Population trends

Additional Data Fields

Distribution
Continuing decline in area of occupancy (AOO): Unknown

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 Distribution
Extreme fluctuations in area of occupancy (AOO): No

Estimated extent of occurrence (EOO) (km²): 140

Continuing decline in extent of occurrence (EOO): Unknown

Extreme fluctuations in extent of occurrence (EOO): No

Number of Locations: 1

Continuing decline in number of locations: No

Extreme fluctuations in the number of locations: No

Lower elevation limit (m): 4080

Upper elevation limit (m): 4080

Population
Number of mature individuals: 140-320

Continuing decline of mature individuals: Yes

Extreme fluctuations: No

Population severely fragmented: No

No. of subpopulations: 1

Continuing decline in subpopulations: No

Extreme fluctuations in subpopulations: No

All individuals in one subpopulation: Yes

No. of individuals in largest subpopulation: 100

Habitats and Ecology

Continuing decline in area, extent and/or quality of habitat: Yes

Generation Length (years): 7.1

Movement patterns: Not a Migrant

Congregatory: Congregatory (and dispersive)

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The IUCN Red List Partnership

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is produced and managed by the IUCN Global Species
Programme, the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) and The IUCN Red List Partnership.

The IUCN Red List Partners are: Arizona State University; BirdLife International; Botanic Gardens
Conservation International; Conservation International; NatureServe; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew;
Sapienza University of Rome; Texas A&M University; and Zoological Society of London.

THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™