Endemic Animals of Peru

The Yellow-tailed woolly monkey (Lagothrix flavicauda) is a rare New World monkey native to Peru. It was first described by Alexander von Humboldt in 1812 based on a skin found 10 years earlier. Humboldt had never seen a live animal of this species and for over 100 years, the Yellow-tailed woolly monkey was reported on only a few isolated occasions, so it was thought to be extinct. In 1926, three Yellow-tailed woolly monkeys were collected in ...
San Martin, and later in 1974, a group of scientists found a young Yellow-tailed woolly monkey that was kept as a pet in the city of Pedro Ruiz Gallo, Amazonas. The rediscovery attracted the attention of national and international press, as well as conservation organizations that saw the need to know quickly the status of this species. Today, the Yellow-tailed woolly monkey is considered one of "The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates". Less

Ranitomeya imitator (formerly Dendrobates imitator ), is a species of poison dart frog found in the north-central region of eastern Peru. Its common names include mimic poison frog and poison arrow frog, and it is one of the best known dart frogs. It was discovered in the late 1980s by Rainer Schulte who later split it up into more subspecies; describing each as a specific color morph, and sometimes having a separate behavioral pattern. The ...
acoustics, morphs, and behavior of the species have been extensively researched. Less

The white-tufted sunbeam (Aglaeactis castelnaudii ) is a species of hummingbird in the family Trochilidae.It is found only in Peru.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forest and subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland. Less

The Junin crake or Junin rail (Laterallus jamaicensis tuerosi ) is a species of bird in the family Rallidae. It is usually considered a subspecies of the black rail.The Junín rail is, as suggested by its common name, endemic to marshy habitats around Lake Junín in west-central Peru. It is threatened by habitat loss. The Junin flightless grebe, another highly endangered species, is restricted to the same lake. Less

The Peruvian piedtail (Phlogophilus harterti ), locally called Colibrí Colipinto Peruano, is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae. It is endemic to Peru. Less

The white-cheeked cotinga (Zaratornis stresemanni ) is a species of bird in the family Cotingidae. It is monotypic within the genus Zaratornis. It is endemic to the Andes in west-central Peru. It mainly occurs at altitudes 3,250-4,250 m.a.s.l. in woodlands dominated by Polylepis and Gynoxys. It primarily feeds on mistletoe berries. It is threatened by habitat destruction and consequently considered vulnerable by BirdLife International and IUCN. Less

The tit-like dacnis (Xenodacnis parina ) is a small neotropical passerine bird found in southern Ecuador and Peru. In Spanish, it is known as Azulito Altoandino. It is found in Andean montane scrub forests from 3000 m to 4600 m elevation.Adults reach 12.5 cm in length. Males are solid deep blue with dark eyes, bill, and feet. Females of all subspecies are duller, with rufous-brown underparts. Less

The fiery-throated metaltail or fire-throated metaltail (Metallura eupogon ) is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae. It is endemic to Peru. Less

The Inca wren (Pheugopedius eisenmanni ) is a species of bird in the family Troglodytidae. It is endemic to Peru. Less

The rusty-tinged antpitta (Grallaria przewalskii ) is a species of bird in the family Grallariidae.It is endemic to Peru.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forest and heavily degraded former forest. Less

The ash-throated antwren (Herpsilochmus parkeri ) is an insectivorous bird in the antbird family, Thamnophilidae.It was described as a new species in 1986. The first specimens had been collected in northern Peru in 1983.It is considered to be part of the group within the genus that also contains H. pileatus, H. atricapillus, and H. motacilloides.It is found in humid upper tropical and subtropical forest in the eastern Andes of northern Peru. Less

The Peruvian seaside cinclodes or surf cinclodes (Cinclodes taczanowskii ) is a species of bird in the family Furnariidae. It is endemic to rocky shorelines in Peru. It is often considered a subspecies of the Chilean seaside cinclodes. Less

The golden-backed mountain tanager (Cnemathraupis aureodorsalis ) is an endangered species of bird in the tanager family. This large and brightly colored tanager is endemic to elfin forests in the Andean highlands of central Peru. It is threatened by habitat loss.This species was formerly included in the genus Buthraupis. When a molecular phylogenetic study published in 2010 found that Buthraupis was polyphyletic, the golden-backed mountain ...
tanager was moved to the resurrected genus Cnemathraupis. Less

The Sira tanager (Stilpnia phillipsi ) is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae.It is endemic to Peru and exists only in the Sira range.It was first discovered in July 1969 on an expedition from Graves and Weske. Between 1969 and 1972, John Terborgh and Weske reported about their collections in the Cerros del Sira on the discovery of this new species of tanager that is related to the black-capped tanager.Its natural habitat is subtropical ...
or tropical moist montane forests.It is threatened by habitat loss. Less

The pardusco (Nephelornis oneilli ) is a species of tanager that is endemic to woodland near the timberline in the Andes of central Peru. It is the only member of the genus Nephelornis. This small olive-brown bird is typically seen in groups, which sometimes join mixed species flocks. It has a small range, but is locally fairly common, and consequently considered to be of least concern by BirdLife International and IUCN. Less

Raimondi's yellow finch (Sicalis raimondii ) is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is endemic to coastal Peru. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland. Less

The unstreaked tit-tyrant (Uromyias agraphia ) is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae. It is endemic to Peru.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Less

The Vilcabamba thistletail (Asthenes vilcabambae ) is a species of bird in the family Furnariidae. It is endemic to the Vilcabamba Mountains of Peru.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forest and subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland.The Ayacucho thistletail was at one time considered to be a subspecies of the Vilcabamba thistletail. A phylogenetic study published in 2015 that examined both DNA sequence data ...
and vocalization recordings of members of the genus Asthenes found that the Ayacucho thistletail was more similar to the eye-ringed thistletail than it was to the Vilcabamba thistletail. Based on this evidence the subspecies A. v. ayacuchensis was elevated to species rank. Less

The chestnut-backed thornbird (Phacellodomus dorsalis ) is a species of bird in the family Furnariidae. It is endemic to Peru. Its natural habitat is Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation. It is threatened by habitat loss. Less

Tschudi's tapaculo (Scytalopus acutirostris ) is a species of bird in the family Rhinocryptidae. It is endemic to Peru. Less

The Huallaga tanager (Ramphocelus melanogaster ) or black-bellied tanager, is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae.It is endemic to Peru.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and heavily degraded former forest. Less

The rusty-fronted canastero (Asthenes ottonis ) is a species of bird in the family Furnariidae. It is endemic to Peru.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forest and subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland. Less

The neblina tapaculo (Scytalopus altirostris ) is a species of bird in the family Rhinocryptidae. It is endemic to the Andes of northern Peru. Less

The eye-ringed thistletail (Asthenes palpebralis ) is a species of bird in the family Furnariidae. It is endemic to central Peru.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland. Less

The Piura chat-tyrant (Ochthoeca piurae ) is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae. It is endemic to Peru.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland. It is threatened by habitat loss. Less

The creamy-crested spinetail (Cranioleuca albicapilla ) is a species of bird in the family Furnariidae. It is endemic to Peru.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland. Less

The Apurímac spinetail (Synallaxis courseni ) is a species of bird in the family Furnariidae. It is endemic to Peru.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss. Less

The black-spectacled brushfinch (Atlapetes melanopsis ) is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae. It is endemic to Peru.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forest and subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland. It is threatened by habitat loss. Less

The long-whiskered owlet (Xenoglaux loweryi ) is a tiny owl that is endemic to a small area in the Andean mountains in Amazonas and San Martín in northern Peru. It is restricted to cloud forests with dense undergrowth and epiphytes at about 1,890–2,200 metres (6,200–7,220 ft) above sea level.The long-whiskered owlet is mainly brown with a whitish belly and eyebrow. The large eyes are orange-brown. Although it has no ear tufts, this small owl's facia ...
l feathers extend out past its head, making it appear to have long tufts. The name of its monotypic genus Xenoglaux means "strange owl" and—among others—refers to these long facial feathers. With a total length of 13–14 centimetres (5.1–5.5 in) and a weight of about 47.5 g (1.68 oz), it is among the smallest owls in the world. Only the heavier Tamaulipas pygmy owl and the lighter-weight elf owl are of a similar diminutive length. It probably feeds on insects.Very little is known about this species. It has been captured in 1976 in mist nets on three occasions in San Martín. It had never been observed under normal circumstances until early 2007 when rangers and researchers working in the Area de Conservación Privada de Abra Patricia-Alto Nieva encountered it three times during daylight hours and recorded its calls during the night (American Bird Conservancy, 2007). In addition to later records from the same general area, the long-whiskered owlet has been observed several times at La Esperanza in the Amazonas Department, where first discovered in January 2010. This locality also holds the critically endangered yellow-tailed woolly monkey.Due to its rarity, restricted habitat, and ongoing deforestation within its tiny range, it is currently considered endangered by BirdLife International. It is estimated that the total population is between 250 and 1000 individuals. The recently established Area de Conservación Privada Abra Patricia-Alto Nieva and the Area de Conservación Privada Copallín (ACP-Copallín) protect important sites for the owlet and other species restricted to this region, including Johnson's tody-tyrant, the royal sunangel, and the ochre-fronted antpitta.In La Esperanza, the creation of a community run conservation area, supported by community based tourism is intended to ensure the survival of this and other endemic species.A molecular phylogenetic study of the owls published in 2019 found that the long-whiskered owlet is a sister species to the North American elf owl (Micrathene whitneyi ). Less

The yellow-faced parrotlet (Forpus xanthops ) is a species of parrot in the family Psittacidae. Less

The Junín grebe (Podiceps taczanowskii ), also known as Junin flightless grebe or puna grebe, is a grebe found only on Lake Junin in the highlands of Junín, west-central Peru. The grebe generally breeds in bays and channels around the edge of the Lake, within 8–75 m (26–246 ft) of reed beds, entering the reeds only for nesting or roosting. When not breeding, Junin grebe prefer open water, moving far out from lake shores. The current population is esti ...
mated at less than 250.The scientific name commemorates the Polish zoologist Władysław Taczanowski, author of Ornithology of Peru (1884–86).Another highly endangered species, the Junin rail, is restricted to the same lake. Less

The white-winged guan (Penelope albipennis ) is a bird in the chachalaca, guan and curassow family Cracidae. It is endemic to northwestern Peru. Less

The cerulean-capped manakin (Lepidothrix coeruleocapilla ) is a species of bird in the family Pipridae.It is endemic to Peru.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. Less

The yellow-browed toucanet (Aulacorhynchus huallagae ) is a rare species of bird in the family Ramphastidae. Among the least known members of the family, it is endemic to humid forests growing on the east Andean slope in northern Peru.This species is extremely range-restricted and is known from only three small and relatively inaccessible locations in Peru: Cumpang/Utcubamba in La Libertad Region, Río Abiseo National Park, San Martín Region, and L ...
eymebambe. It is threatened by habitat loss, and consequently considered endangered by IUCN.This all-green toucanet has a distinctive short yellow line behind eye and blue breast-band. The blue-grey bill has a narrow white line at base blending into a white throat. The central tail feathers are tipped with chestnut. Uniquely among Aulacorhynchus toucanets, its vent is bright yellow. It is 37–44 cm (15–17 in) long and weighs 250–278 g (8.8–9.8 oz). It is very similar to the blue-banded toucanet, from which it differs mainly in the bill pattern.The voice is a monotonously repeated short, dry rattling cuah cuah cuah. Less

The Sira curassow (Pauxi koepckeae ) is a species of bird in the family Cracidae. It is found in the Cerros del Sira in central Peru. Its natural habitat is tropical, moist, montane cloud forest.It was first discovered in 1969, when a male and female were recovered (unfortunately the female specimen was accidentally eaten), and was not recorded by scientists again until 2000 and 2003, when local Asháninka people were shown pictures of the birds ...
and respectively 1 and 14 people recalled having seen or hunted them in the past few years.The name 'Sira curassow' was proposed as a new English common name in 2011 by Gastañaga et al. to replace the previous 'horned curassow', in 2012 this proposal was adopted by most of her colleagues. In the Asháninka language of the area the bird is known as quiyuri according to Weske & Terborgh, piyori according to the report 'Nombres Asháninka de las Aves en la Cordillera el Sira' by González, or piuri according to Gastañaga. Less

Koepcke's hermit (Phaethornis koepckeae ) is a species of hummingbird in the family Trochilidae. It is endemic to Peru. Less

Spheniscus muizoni is an extinct species of banded penguins that lived during the early Late Miocene in what is now Peru, South America. The species, the earliest member of the extant genus, was described in 2007 by Ursula B. Göhlich based on fossils found in the fossiliferous Pisco Formation of the Pisco Basin, southwestern Peru. Less

The black metaltail (Metallura phoebe ) is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae. It is endemic to Peru. Less

The scarlet-banded barbet (Capito wallacei ) is a species of bird in the New World barbet family, Capitonidae. It is endemic to Peru. Less

Koepcke's screech owl (Megascops koepckeae ) is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is endemic to Peru. Less

The green-and-white hummingbird (Elliotomyia viridicauda ) is a species of hummingbird in the family Trochilidae. It is endemic to the East Andean slope in Peru, where generally restricted to areas near humid forest. It is commonly seen at Machu Picchu. It closely resembles the white-bellied hummingbird, but lacks white to the basal half of the tail.This species was formerly placed in the genus Amazilia. A molecular phylogenetic study published ...
in 2014 found that Amazilia was polyphyletic. In the revised classification to create monophyletic genera, the green-and-white hummingbird was placed in a new genus Elliotomyia. Less

The bearded mountaineer or eastern mountaineer (Oreonympha nobilis ) is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae. It is endemic to Peru. Less