Habitat
Humid and wet lowland and foothill-forest, treefalls, forest and river-edges, tall second growth, traditional mixed-culture plantations. From sea-level - 600 m, and rarely or seasonally up to 1,200 m.
South-western Colombia (Pacific slope of Nariņo) and north-western Ecuador (south to Pichincha, but mainly in Esmeraldas).
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is 20,000 - 49,999 (2010) and decreasing.
Status VU
Habitat destruction and degradation through convertion to banana plantations and cattle ranches, and palm oil plantations, is the main threat.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Voice
Foraging calls include a very high-pitched, piercing 'tz' or 'tze', often repeated 'tz-tz-tz-tz'.
Scarlet-breasted Dacnis (Dacnis berlepschi) [XC242528]
by Niels Krabbe from Esmeraldas: Humedal de Yalare, Ecuador (song)
Scarlet-breasted Dacnis (Dacnis berlepschi) [XC242527]
by Niels Krabbe from Esmeraldas: Humedal de Yalare, Ecuador (call, calls)
Subspecies
This genus and Cyanerpes were previously regarded as members of a separate family, Coerebidae, but later placed in present family on basis of similarities in skull anatomy; molecular phylogenies indicate that the two genera are sisters and form a monophyletic group with Tersina.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet