Threatened Birds of Asia - BirdLife...

Threatened Birds of Asia:The BirdLife International Red Data Book

Editors

N. J. COLLAR (Editor-in-chief),A. V. ANDREEV, S. CHAN, M. J. CROSBY, S. SUBRAMANYA and J. A. TOBIAS

Maps by

RUDYANTO and M. J. CROSBY

Principal compilers and data contributors

■■■■■ BANGLADESH P. Thompson ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ BHUTAN R. Pradhan; C. Inskipp, T. Inskipp ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ CAMBODIASun Hean; C. M. Poole ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ CHINA ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ MAINLAND CHINA Zheng Guangmei; Ding Changqing,Gao Wei, Gao Yuren, Li Fulai, Liu Naifa, Ma Zhijun, the late Tan Yaokuang, Wang Qishan, XuWeishu, Yang Lan, Yu Zhiwei, Zhang Zhengwang. ■■■■■ HONG KONG Hong Kong Bird WatchingSociety (BirdLife Affiliate); H. F. Cheung; F. N. Y. Lock, C. K. W. Ma, Y. T. Yu. ■■■■■ TAIWAN WildBird Federation of Taiwan (BirdLife Partner); L. Liu Severinghaus; Chang Chin-lung, ChiangMing-liang, Fang Woei-horng, Ho Yi-hsian, Hwang Kwang-yin, Lin Wei-yuan, Lin Wen-horn, LoHung-ren, Sha Chian-chung, Yau Cheng-teh. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ INDIA Bombay Natural History Society (BirdLifePartner Designate) and Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History; L. Vijayan andV. S. Vijayan; S. Balachandran, R. Bhargava, P. C. Bhattacharjee, S. Bhupathy, A. Chaudhury,P. Gole, S. A. Hussain, R. Kaul, U. Lachungpa, R. Naroji, S. Pandey, A. Pittie, V. Prakash,A. Rahmani, P. Saikia, R. Sankaran, P. Singh, R. Sugathan, Zafar-ul Islam ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ INDONESIA BirdLifeInternational Indonesia Country Programme; Ria Saryanthi; D. Agista, S. van Balen, Y. Cahyadin,R. F. A. Grimmett, F. R. Lambert, M. Poulsen, Rudyanto, I. Setiawan, C. Trainor ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ JAPAN WildBird Society of Japan (BirdLife Partner); Y. Fujimaki; Y. Kanai, H. Morioka, K. Ono, H. Uchida,M. Ueta, N. Yanagisawa ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ KOREA ■■■■■ NORTH KOREA Pak U-il; Chong Jong-ryol, Rim Chu-yon. ■■■■■ SOUTH KOREA Lee Woo-shin; Han Sang-hoon, Kim Jin-han, Lee Ki-sup, Park Jin-young ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ LAOS K. Khounboline; W. J. Duckworth ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ MALAYSIA Malaysian Nature Society(BirdLife Partner); K. Kumar; G. Noramly, M. J. Kohler ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ MONGOLIA D. Batdelger; A. Bräunlich,N. Tseveenmyadag ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ MYANMAR Khin Ma Ma Thwin ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ NEPAL Bird Conservation Nepal(BirdLife Affiliate); H. S. Baral; C. Inskipp, T. P. Inskipp ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ PAKISTAN Ornithological Society ofPakistan (BirdLife Affiliate) ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ PHILIPPINES Haribon Foundation for Conservation of NaturalResources (BirdLife Partner); N. A. D. Mallari, B. R. Tabaranza, Jr. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ RUSSIA Russian BirdConservation Union (BirdLife Partner Designate); A. V. Andreev; A. G. Degtyarev, V. G. Degtyarev,V. A. Dugintsov, N. N. Gerasimov, Yu. N. Gerasimov, N. I. Germogenov, O. A. Goroshko,A. V. Kondrat’ev, Yu. V. Labutin, N. M. Litvinenko, Yu. N. Nazarov, V. A. Nechaev, V. I. Perfil’ev,R. V. Ryabtsev, Yu. V. Shibaev, S. G. Surmach, E. E. Tkachenko, O. P. Val’chuk, B. A. Voronov.■ ■ ■ ■ ■ SINGAPORE The Nature Society (Singapore) (BirdLife Partner); Lim Kim Seng ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ SRI LANKAField Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (BirdLife Affiliate); S. Kotagama; S. Aryaprema, S. Corea,J. P. G. Jones, U. Fernando, R. Perera, M. Siriwardhane, K. Weerakoon ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ THAILAND BirdConservation Society of Thailand (BirdLife Partner); U. Treesucon; R. Jugmongkol, V. Kongthong,P. Poonswad, P. D. Round, S. Supparatvikorn ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ VIETNAM BirdLife International Vietnam CountryProgramme; Nguyen Cu; J. C. Eames, A. W. Tordoff, Le Trong Trai, Nguyen Duc Tu.

With contributions from: S. H. M. Butchart, D. S. Butler (maps), P. Davidson, J. C. Lowen,G. C. L. Dutson, N. B. Peet, T. Vetta (maps), J. M. Villasper (maps), M. G. Wilson

Recommended citationBirdLife International (2001) Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red DataBook. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International.

© 2001 BirdLife InternationalWellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cambridge, CB3 0NA, United KingdomTel: +44 1223 277318 Fax: +44 1223 277200 Email: [email protected]: www.birdlife.net

BirdLife International is a UK-registered charity

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrievalsystem or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrical, chemical, mechanical,optical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher.

ISBN 0 946888 42 6 (Part A)ISBN 0 946888 43 4 (Part B)ISBN 0 946888 44 2 (Set)

British Library-in-Publication DataA catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

First published 2001 by BirdLife International

Designed and produced by the NatureBureau, 36 Kingfisher Court, Hambridge Road,Newbury, Berkshire RG14 5SJ, United Kingdom

Available from the Natural History Book Service Ltd, 2–3 Wills Road, Totnes, DevonTQ9 5XN, UK. Tel: +44 1803 865913 Fax: +44 1803 865280 Email [email protected]: www.nhbs.com/services/birdlife.html

The presentation of material in this book and the geographical designations employed donot imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of BirdLife Internationalconcerning the legal status of any country, territory or area, or concerning the delimitationof its frontiers or boundaries.

33

ANALYSIS AND OVERVIEW

This is a book of facts almost 3,000 pages long. It is hoped that it will be used repeatedly forboth narrow and broad analyses, to illuminate general and particular issues. However, somekey information on the species in this book has already been logged in Birdlife’s World BirdDatabase in the course of the preparation of Threatened birds of the world, and as a result ithas been possible to undertake a preliminary review of some of the key points that arise fromanalysis of the database. In addition, some of the opportunities for practical interventionand policy pursuit have been outlined.

One in eight of all bird species in the Asian region is globally threatenedA total of 323 bird species (or c.12% of the Asian avifauna) is globally threatened with

extinction. Most worryingly, 41 are Critical,meaning that they have only an estimated 50%chance of surviving over the next 10 years or threegenerations. A further 65 are Endangered and 217are Vulnerable. An additional 317 (NearThreatened) species are close to qualifying asglobally threatened. For 23 (Data Deficient)species, there is inadequate information to makea direct, or indirect, assessment of their probabilityof extinction, but these too may be at risk. Alltold, 664 (c.25%) species in the Asian avifauna areof conservation concern at the global level.

Some species are on the verge of extinctionOf the 41 species that are classified as Critical, at least eight could already be extinct (seep.42). The following are examples of Critical species where conservation action is essential ifextinction is to be prevented.

Chinese Crested-tern Sterna bernsteini was rediscovered in 2000 whensix adults and six chicks were found in a seabird colony on an islandoff mainland China (see p.1488).

Gurney’s Pitta Pitta gurneyi has a known population ofjust 26 birds confined to one locality, Khao Nor Chuchi,in peninsular Thailand, where forest degradation continuesto be a serious threat (see p.1897).

Bali Starling Leucopsar rothschildi numbers only nine birds in the wildand is confined to just one locality in Bali, Indonesia, where the mainreason for its decline is illegal trapping. With the population now at sucha critically low level, other threats may include inter-specific competition,natural predation and disease (see p.2375).

Over 50 species are assessed as threatened for the first timeCompared to the last assessment of Asian species, part of a global summary review in BirdLife’sBirds to watch 2 (1994), over 50 species have been assessed as Critical, Endangered or Vulnerable(i.e. threatened) for the first time. Half of these have been elevated from Near Threatened

Critical 41

Endangered65

Vulnerable217

Near Threatened317

Conservation Dependent1

Data Deficient 23

34

Threatened birds of Asia

status, with 12 moved from the category of Least Concern and 12evaluated for the first time ever (either newly described species or newlyelevated to specific rank, such as the Indian Vulture Gyps indicus andthe Slender-billed Vulture G. tenuirostris, see p.614 and p.621).Conversely, this more detailed assessment has resulted in nearly 70species being dropped from threatened status, although the majority(75%) are retained as Near Threatened. These additions and deletionsto the list of threatened birds are similar to those observed betweenprevious assessments, and are based largely on new knowledge, re-interpreting old knowledge or finding missing knowledge

Threatened birds indicate a more general deterioration of biodiversityThe loss of Asia’s threatened birds from many sites is a measure of themore general deterioration of most of the avian and other diversity in theregion (see, e.g., Green-billed Coucal Centropus chlororhynchos, p. 1730).Birds serve as good biodiversity indicators because: they are widelydistributed throughout Asia’s habitats; they are high in the food chainand thus reflect changes lower down; a wealth of data have been collectedby ornithologists; and their conservation status is well known relative toother taxa.

A network of thousands has contributed to the Asian Red Data Book ProjectThis book is the product of a wide collaboration and consultation process, including severalregional workshops, involving a constant process of contact and feedback. The principalmover has been the BirdLife Asia Partnership, for which a Red Data Book was seen as ameans of pooling resources in a common cause, clarifying priorities and improvingunderstanding within and between countries. The BirdLife network has been able to draw onboth its formal and its informal links to generate the massivedataset contained in this book. Well over a thousand people areacknowledged here, but many more thousands contributedthrough their published records and through their support forPartner organisations. Government and non-governmentorganisations have also been widely consulted. The stakeholdersin this book therefore range from the regional to the local, andfrom the national to the global.

Data and information are gathered and disseminated on anunprecedented scaleOver 10,000 locality records have been identified for threatenedbirds. These are all entered into BirdLife International’s WorldBird Database, a Partnership-wide system which is intended tobe accessible to conservationists and environmental decision-makers around the world. Threatened birds of Asia will appear asa CD-ROM and eventually be available on BirdLife websites.

Scientific rigour dispels myths and leads to new insightsGood data are needed to prioritise those species most at risk from extinction, to identify thehabitats and sites they occupy, and to determine the key factors causing endangerment. Thisdepends on having people active in the field, but it also depends on the intensive accumulationand arrangement of these and other data at the desk. The “complete picture” allows for thebest judgement of both status and need. Only the painstaking assembly of records on, for

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example, Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis or LesserAdjutant Leptoptilos javanicus can demonstrate (particularly tothose who regard these species as locally common and of noconservation concern) just how serious their plight really is. Onlythe careful plotting of localities on maps can confidently showwhere a species might be conserved or where indeed it mightsimply be searched for (see, e.g., the map for Javan LapwingVanellus macropterus, p. 1383). Only a full review of the evidenceof Sundaic tropical forest conversion rates, even inside protectedareas, can justify the mass listing of lowland forest species

endemic to that region (see the account for Crestless Fireback Lophura erythrophthalma,p.938).

All territories are important for threatened speciesIndonesia has the most threatened species in the region (115 species), followed by China (78)and India (73). In terms of all species of conservation concern (i.e. those classified asCritical, Endangered, Vulnerable, Conservation Dependent, Near Threatened or DataDeficient), Indonesia again has a very high total of 320 species, followed by Malaysia (143)and Thailand (137). For Critical and Endangered species only, Indonesia has the most(44 species), followed by thePhilippines (25) and India (18).For Critical and Endangeredendemic species, Indonesia againhas the most (32 species),followed by the Philippines (21)and Vietnam (5). Although themajority of Critical andEndangered species are endemicto single territories, 35 species(>30%) occur in two or moreterritories and therefore thepolitical responsibility for theirsurvival is shared.

Forests are the major habitats for75% of threatened speciesForests are by far the most important of all the habitats for threatened bird species in theAsian region, holding the greatest proportion (c.80% occurs in total, 75% where the habitatis essential for their survival).Grasslands, savanna andshrublands are second (nearly30%) but for nearly half ofthese species these habitats areof only minor importance.Although artificial habitats(such as plantations, arableland, artificial wetlands etc.)apparently feature quite highly,they are also of minorimportance for the greatmajority (88%) of threatened

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The habitats upon which threatened Asian birds depend

Analysis and overview

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species occurring in them, meaning that it is unlikely that these species can survive withoutadjacent natural or semi-natural habitats for feeding and/or breeding.

Tropical lowland moist forests are particularly important for 70% ofthreatened forest speciesThreatened Asian forest species occur in many different forest types,including tropical montane moist, tropical dry, mangrove andtemperate forests. However, the majority of threatened forest birdspecies occur in the tropics (>90%) and in moist forest types (>80%).The single most important forest type is tropical lowland moist forestwith c.70% of threatened forest species (compared to c.40% globally)including, for example Gurney’s Pitta Pitta gurneyi (see p.3 andp.1894).

Wetlands are crucial for the survival of 20% of threatened speciesWetlands are particularly important for biodiversity in the Asian region, with c.20% ofthreatened bird species found in such habitats (compared to c.10% globally), including lakesand pools, rivers and streams, swamps and marshes, coastal lagoons and estuaries. Manylarge waterbirds, whether solitary or flocking by nature, are edging very close to extinction

through the disturbance or conversion of their habitats,as well as through intense hunting pressure in mostareas. Storks, herons, ibises, ducks, geese, cranes, gulls,waders and terns all feature disproportionately highlyas threatened species in the Asian region, a strikingexample being the White-shouldered Ibis Pseudibisdavisoni (see p.17 and p.293), which is so sensitive todisturbance that it has retreated faster than scientistscould follow—so it is still unclear what the criticallyimportant factors in its decline are.

Habitat loss or degradation affects nearly 100% of threatened speciesHabitat loss or degradation is the major cause of endangerment in birds in the Asian region,affecting nearly all bird species classified as Critical, Endangered or Vulnerable. This is thebiggest threat overall to forest birds, especially given that the vast majority (>80%) areintolerant of more than medium levels of degradation and are therefore highly dependenton near-intact habitat for their continued survival. The continuing loss and degradation oflowland forests in the Sundaic region of Indonesia and Malaysia, in particular, has resultedin some notable changes:37 bird species are nowclassified as threatened(compared to 26 in 1994)and, alarmingly, 82 as NearThreatened (compared tojust 19 in 1994).

The main threats to Asian birds

habitat loss/degradation

exploitation

human disturbance

land/water pollution

invasive species

changes in native species dynamics

natural disasters

accidental mortality

other

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350


Series 1

Series 3

Series 2

Impact of threatto species

High/Medium

Low

Unknown

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Forest exploitation is the commonest cause of habitat loss and degradationThe preliminary analysis indicates that of the 15 commonest causes of habitat loss, six areagricultural, four relate to extraction (mostly of timber) and three to infrastructure development(e.g. dam construction), while two (relating to deforestation and wetland loss) are of unknowncause. Overall, logging impactsmost threatened species(affecting nearly 50% of all),followed by arable farming(affecting >30%), shiftingagriculture (>25%) and clearfelling (>25%). An issue thathas been of increasingconcern is the conversion ofnatural forest to commercialplantations (e.g. rubber, oil-palm, tea, coffee) which are oflittle to no importance tothe conservation of speciesdiversity. Many of these threatsare interconnected, withselective logging often leadingto the conversion of these landsto plantations or otheragricultural practices.

Fragmentation and isolation is especially concerningSome 30% of threatened species in the region are judged to have small, severely fragmentedranges of <20,000 km2. Some of these are birds with naturally confined ranges (e.g. on islands

or mountains) but now with increased extinction risksowing to most individuals being found in small, relativelyisolated subpopulations which may go extinct with areduced probability of recolonisation. However, some arespecies once historically widespread but today confinedto tiny forest patches or wetland sites. The loss of 99.8%of primary forest in Singapore over the past 150 yearshas led to the loss of a substantial fraction of the nativebiota, including 28% of the resident avifauna.

Agricultural intensification may herald a more widespreaddeclineMany threats and their causes are interconnected. Forexample, in the case of the Great Indian Bustard Ardeotisnigripes (see p.14 and p.1321) key threats include habitatloss, modification and fragmentation as a result ofwidespread agricultural development and land-use change,particularly conversion of large areas to intensive cropcultivation, irrigation schemes, increased pesticide usage andlivestock-grazing, and high levels of disturbance. Theobserved decline of some common birds, not yet listed asglobally threatened, might herald a more widespread declineeven in birds which have adapted to cultivated habitats.

timber (selective logging/cutting)

arable farming/horticulture

shifting agriculture

timber (clear-felling)

deforestation (cause unknown)

plantations (timber)

plantations (crops)

infrastructure

human settlement

mining

timber (firewood)

grazing

industry

drainage/filling in of wetlands

livestock farming

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160


Causes of habitat loss and degradation


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Exploitation affects 50% of threatened species and bird trade is expectedto increaseExploitation for human use is the second most common threat impacting>50% of all threatened species. Of these latter, c.70% are currently takenfor food and c.30% for the cagebird trade such as the Bali Starling Leucopsarrothschildi (see p.22 and p.2375). The keeping of birds for their beauty andsong is hugely popular in the region and, with increasing prosperity, demandcould rise especially for the rarer species. There is mounting concern thatmany more species, even those with wide ranges, may qualify as globallythreatened in the near future owing to the effects of bird trade.

Invasive species affect 10% of threatened species but the problem may be worseInvasive species are noted to affect c.10% of threatened bird species in the region, the majorityon small islands. For example, feral dogs, cats, and rats are speculated to predate the flightlessrails on Indonesian islands, while Javan mongooses and Siberian weasels are additional pressures

to the threatened species of the Nansei Shoto and Izu islands ofJapan. Introduced diseases via escaped cagebirds to wildpopulations are potential threats to some parrot species, andinvasive water plants affect some wetland species. However, theimpacts of invasive species may not be fully realised, particularlyferal cats and other land mammals in Wallacea and New Guinea,and primates in Maluku, the Philippines and New Guinea.

Other threats include disease, longline fishing and climate changeDisease is believed to be a factor in the Critical status of three species ofvultures which are suffering extremely rapid population declines,particularly across the Indian subcontinent. Interaction with longlinefisheries is a key threat for two albatross species in the north Pacific Oceanwhere there are few mitigation measures. Climate change resulting inhabitat change could become an increasingly important issue in the regionsuch as progressively drier conditions resulting in the decline of forestaround the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Conservation measures have been identified for every speciesFor every threatened species, a range of conservation measures has been proposed. Thepreliminary analysis shows that some of these relate to species-based actions, such as thoseaddressing specific threats from hunting (relating to 10% of all threatened species), trade(c.10%), invasive species (c.5%) and disturbance (c.3%), and intensive species managementthrough recovery management (c.3%), re-introduction (c.2%) and ex situ action (c.1%). Somerelate to habitat and site-based actions, such as the establishment of new protected areas and

the management of new and existing protected areas (a key target fornearly 80% of all threatened species) or the extension of existing ones(c.20%). And some relate to more general cross-cutting conservationactions such as increased awareness and advocacy (c.40%) or legislation(c.20%). For some species, especially those that cross national boundaries,Species Action (or recovery or management) Plans are an importantinstrument for coordinated species conservation. Action Plans definethe actions needed to conserve the species (including research,monitoring, conservation action, inclusion in legislation, public awarenessand funding) and importantly build consensus amongst all organisations,including governments.

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Some species are already being saved from extinctionThe following are examples of species which are benefiting from targeted conservation actionand whose status has improved from Critical to Endangered since 1994.

Crested Ibis Nipponia nippon, now a localised breeder in central China,had a wild population of 66 in 1998 and is slowly increasing owing toa range of conservation measures including protection of nest sitesand maintenance of rice-fields as feeding sites. The estimatedpopulation at the end of 2000 was 120 birds (see p.315).

Black-faced Spoonbill Platalea minor, estimated to number 700 birds,breeds on islets off the west coast of Korea and China, with majorwintering wetland sites in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Vietnam. An actionplan and workshops involving all major range countries has resulted incoordinated actions, including satellite-tracking and field surveys whichhave added considerably to knowledge of the migratory movementsand identified some important breeding and passage sites (see p.330).

Orange-necked Partridge Arborophila davidi, endemic to southern Vietnam andestimated to number fewer than 1,000 individuals, is known from just three sites. Attwo of these, a five-year project began in 1998 focusing on research, the developmentof a conservation management plan, capacity building, community developmentand education, with the partridge as one of the project’s flagship species (see p.852).

Bird species can be used as flagships for wider conservation benefitsWith so many threatened species requiring action, it can make sense to focus attention on a

smaller number of well-known species which arouse strong feelings inthe public for their conservation and which reflect broaderconservation requirements. One example of such a flagship species isthe Critically Endangered Philippine Eagle Pithecophaga jefferyi (seep.18, p.633 and p.2727). To survive it must be conserved in large tractsof forests on the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao. Thesuccessful conservation of these habitats would mean the survival notonly of the eagle but of virtually every threatened landbird thatoccupies the same range as the eagle as well as thousands of otherspecies of flora and fauna.

Site conservation is an effective means to conserve assemblages of threatened speciesFor a high proportion of threatened bird species, especially for those with restricted rangesand strict habitat requirements, effective site protection and management is the key measurefor their survival (see, e.g., key sites in the Eastern Visayas and Mindanao,Philippines, p.2746). The BirdLife International Important Bird Areas(IBA) Programme, a world-wide initiative aimed at identifying andprotecting a network of critical sites for the world’s birds, facilitates theconservation of birds via this approach. The continued ecological integrityof IBAs will be decisive in maintaining and conserving threatened birds.The BirdLife Asia Partnership has already made considerable progresson its Important Bird Areas (IBA) Project, which will identify anddocument the major sites for birds in the region using an internationallyagreed set of criteria, and then develop a programme for their conservationthrough legal protection, management and monitoring.

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National legislation and international agreements provide a framework for conservationA broad range of national legislation and policies can have significant impacts on bird species,particularly those on forestry, agriculture, sustainability, land-use planning, land ownership,environmental impact assessment and hunting. By ensuring that laws (at local, provincial,national scales) take into account the principle of conservation, threats to species can beminimised. In addition, a range of national, regional and international agreements have beenestablished to support the conservation of species and ecosystems and the sustainability ofthe use of natural resources. Such agreements include the Convention on Biological Diversity(CBD), the Bonn Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species, the RamsarConvention on Wetlands of International Importance, the Convention on International Tradein Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the South Asia CooperativeEnvironment Programme and the ASEAN Agreement on the Conservation of Nature andNatural Resources, as well as numerous national initiatives. These are all relevant to thesurvival of threatened species, and the information provided in this book will help shape theirdevelopment and support their implementation, as well as provide a framework for monitoringprogress and assessing the performance of these mechanisms. For example, information onthreatened species can make a substantial input into the National Biodiversity Strategy andAction Plans (NBSAPs) being developed by parties to the CBD, which has been ratified by 21countries in the region.

Ratification status of global conventions in the Asia region and status of National Biodiversity Strategyand Action Plan

CBD Ramsar CMS CITES Status of NBSAPR=ratified P=party R=ratified P=party C=completedS=signed D=draft

Bangladesh R P P DBhutan R CBrunei PCambodia R P P DChina R P P CIndia R P R P DIndonesia R P P CJapan R P P CNorth Korea R CSouth Korea R P P ?Laos R DMalaysia R P P CMaldives R DMongolia R P R P CMyanmar R P ?Nepal R P P DPakistan R P R P In prepPhilippines R P R P CRussia R P P CSingapore R P DSri Lanka R P R P CThailand S P PVietnam R P P C

CBD = Convention on Biological DiversityRamsar = Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl HabitatCMS = Bonn Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild AnimalsCITES = Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and FloraNBSAP = National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

All information as of November 2000, except status of NBSAP (May 2000)

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Sound social and economic policies are fundamental to conservationsuccessImproved standards of living, conservation awareness amongstlocal people of all social strata, better training and infrastructurein forestry departments are all fundamental to the success ofconservation actions. Conservation efforts need to be designedin ways which where possible provide benefits or compensation

for local people and economies.

Birds are valued for economic, cultural, ethical and spiritual reasonsBirds are a vital part of our natural heritage. They inspire every culture,every religion and every nation in some way, through their beauty, theirsounds and their close links with people. They help to define nationaland local identities in the face of globalisation of societies. Over thecenturies birds have inspired artists, and bird images are frequently usedto adorn everyday objects. Also conserving birds clearly has greateconomic benefits. Birdwatching is an increasingly popular interest inthe Asia region, and with this there are increasing business opportunitiesfor the recreation and tourism industries, particularly in rural areas.

Information on threatened species still needs to be greatly improvedMore data are needed to build on the information already collected in this book in order tocontinue to prioritise species for action and to understand better the reasons for their highextinction risk, so that the most appropriate action can be taken. Most specifically, 80% of

all threatened species require baseline surveys to map theircurrent distributions and to estimate their population sizes moreaccurately. In addition, >50% require research into their ecologyand >20% into the nature and causes of threats impacting uponthem. For only c.20% of species is the current informationsufficiently good to provide a baseline for monitoring continuingchanges in status.

A new strategy will be the foundation for targeted actionA Strategy for threatened birds in Asia will be developed from the work presented here. It willinclude further analyses of the key issues that are affecting threatened birds in Asia, many ofwhich affect groups of species.Crucially, it will present ananalysis of the most importantactions for threatened birdsand a baseline for monitoringprogress with these actions,and hence provide afoundation for conservationwork in Asia.


Designate and protectunder national and

international legislationand agreements

Seek ownership andparticipation in

delivering conservationaction

Adequately managehabitats and land-use

practices

Address the needs ofthreatened species

through the conservationof IBAs

Design and implementsite-based conservation

projects

Further analysesof conservation actions

and targets

Implement andmonitor Species

Action Plans

Survey, researchand monitoringprogrammes

Asia Red DataBook

and

A Strategy forthreatened birds

in Asia

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Species most at risk in the Asian regionCritical species face an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future.Endangered species face a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future.

* could be extinctCountry indicates that the species is endemic to that country only

CriticalAbbott’s Booby Papasula abbottiChristmas Island Frigatebird Fregata andrewsiWhite-shouldered Ibis Pseudibis davisoniGiant Ibis Thaumatibis giganteaCrested Shelduck* Tadorna cristataPink-headed Duck* Rhodonessa caryophyllaceaWhite-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensisIndian Vulture Gyps indicusSlender-billed Vulture Gyps tenuirostrisPhilippine Eagle Pithecophaga jefferyi PhilippinesHimalayan Quail* Ophrysia superciliosa IndiaSiberian Crane Grus leucogeranusJavanese Lapwing* Vanellus macropterus IndonesiaJerdon’s Courser Rhinoptilus bitorquatus IndiaChinese Crested-tern Sterna bernsteiniSilvery Wood-pigeon Columba argentinaMindoro Bleeding-heart Gallicolumba platenae PhilippinesNegros Bleeding-heart Gallicolumba keayi PhilippinesSulu Bleeding-heart* Gallicolumba menagei PhilippinesTawitawi Brown-dove Phapitreron cinereiceps PhilippinesNegros Fruit-dove* Ptilinopus arcanus PhilippinesBlue-fronted Lorikeet Charmosyna toxopei IndonesiaYellow-crested Cockatoo Cacatua sulphureaPhilippine Cockatoo Cacatua haematuropygia PhilippinesSumatran Ground-cuckoo Carpococcyx viridis IndonesiaBlack-hooded Coucal Centropus steerii PhilippinesSiau Scops-owl* Otus siaoensis IndonesiaForest Owlet Heteroglaux blewitti IndiaSulu Hornbill Anthracoceros montani PhilippinesVisayan Wrinkled Hornbill Aceros waldeni PhilippinesOkinawa Woodpecker Sapheopipo noguchii JapanGurney’s Pitta Pitta gurneyi ThailandWhite-eyed River-martin Eurychelidon sirintarae ThailandAmami Thrush Zoothera major JapanRueck’s Blue-flycatcher* Cyornis ruckii IndonesiaCaerulean Paradise-flycatcher Eutrichomyias rowleyi IndonesiaBlack-chinned Monarch Monarcha boanensis IndonesiaSangihe Shrike-thrush Colluricincla sanghirensis IndonesiaCebu Flowerpecker Dicaeum quadricolor PhilippinesSangihe White-eye Zosterops nehrkorni IndonesiaBali Starling Leucopsar rothschildi Indonesia

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EndangeredWhite-bellied Heron Ardea insignisWhite-eared Night-heron Gorsachius magnificusJapanese Night-heron Gorsachius goisagiStorm’s Stork Ciconia stormiOriental Stork Ciconia boycianaGreater Adjutant Leptoptilos dubiusCrested Ibis Nipponia nippon ChinaBlack-faced Spoonbill Platalea minorWhite-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephalaSwan Goose Anser cygnoidesWhite-winged Duck Cairina scutulataJavan Hawk-eagle Spizaetus bartelsi IndonesiaMaleo Macrocephalon maleo IndonesiaSichuan Partridge Arborophila rufipectus ChinaOrange-necked Partridge Arborophila davidi VietnamChestnut-headed Partridge Arborophila cambodianaEdwards’s Pheasant Lophura edwardsi VietnamVietnamese Pheasant Lophura hatinhensis VietnamBornean Peacock-pheasant Polyplectron schleiermacheriSumba Buttonquail Turnix everetti IndonesiaRed-crowned Crane Grus japonensisOkinawa Rail Gallirallus okinawae JapanTalaud Rail Gymnocrex talaudensis IndonesiaGreat Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigricepsBengal Florican Houbaropsis bengalensisLesser Florican Sypheotides indicaMoluccan Woodcock Scolopax rochussenii IndonesiaSpotted Greenshank Tringa guttiferMindanao Bleeding-heart Gallicolumba criniger PhilippinesWetar Ground-dove Gallicolumba hoedtiiTimor Green-pigeon Treron psittaceaTimor Imperial-pigeon Ducula cineraceaRed-and-blue Lory Eos histrio IndonesiaChattering Lory Lorius garrulus IndonesiaBlue-winged Racquet-tail Prioniturus verticalis PhilippinesSangihe Hanging-parrot Loriculus catamene IndonesiaFlores Hanging-parrot Loriculus flosculus IndonesiaTaliabu Masked-owl Tyto nigrobrunnea IndonesiaFlores Scops-owl Otus alfredi IndonesiaBiak Scops-owl Otus beccarii IndonesiaBlakiston’s Fish-owl Ketupa blakistoniMindoro Tarictic Penelopides mindorensis PhilippinesVisayan Tarictic Penelopides panini PhilippinesStreak-breasted Bulbul Ixos siquijorensis PhilippinesSri Lanka Whistling-thrush Myophonus blighi Sri LankaBlack Shama Copsychus cebuensis PhilippinesRufous-breasted Laughingthrush Garrulax cachinnans IndiaCollared Laughingthrush Garrulax yersini VietnamFlame-templed Babbler Dasycrotapha speciosa PhilippinesNegros Striped-babbler Stachyris nigrorum Philippines


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Grey-crowned Crocias Crocias langbianis VietnamBiak Gerygone Gerygone hypoxantha IndonesiaWhite-throated Jungle-flycatcher Rhinomyias albigularis PhilippinesLompobatang Flycatcher Ficedula bonthaina IndonesiaMatinan Flycatcher Cyornis sanfordi IndonesiaFlores Monarch Monarcha sacerdotum IndonesiaWhite-tipped Monarch Monarcha everetti IndonesiaBiak Monarch Monarcha brehmii IndonesiaWhite-browed Nuthatch Sitta victoriae MyanmarElegant Sunbird Aethopyga duyvenbodei IndonesiaRufous-throated White-eye Madanga ruficollis IndonesiaBlack-winged Starling Sturnus melanopterus IndonesiaIsabela Oriole Oriolus isabellae PhilippinesBanggai Crow Corvus unicolor IndonesiaFlores Crow Corvus florensis Indonesia

Threatened Birds of Asia - BirdLife...

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