Honduran Hummingbird Listed as Endangered

The Fish and Wildlife Service announced last week that the Honduran emerald hummingbird (Amazilia luciae) will be listed as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. This species, the only known endemic bird to Honduras, has seen its suitable habitat shrink to ten percent of its former size as a result of cattle grazing as well as palm oil and banana plantations. The population is now estimated at around 5,000-10,000 breeding pairs. With this new designation, anyone caught smuggling the Honduran emerald into the U.S. could face fines and potential jail time.

Read more about this designation in the Federal Register.