Justification This obscure woodcock has a very small range, being known from only three locations. Given the continuing loss and degradation of habitat within this area, and suspected population declines, it qualifies as Endangered.

Family/Sub-family Scolopacidae

Species name author Schlegel, 1866

Taxonomic source(s) Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)

Identification 32-40 cm. Large, forest-dwelling woodcock. Long, heavy, dark bill. Black upperparts with large contrasting ochre-buff spots and little barring. Underparts fairly uniform orange-buff, with sparse blackish scaling. Black bars on hindneck and between eye and bill. Similar spp. Sulawesi Woodcock S. celebensis is smaller, darker, finely barred rather than spotted and highly unlikely to visit the range of S. rochusseni. Voice Undocumented.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

2,500-9,999

decreasing

680 km²

Yes

Important Bird Areas Click here to view map showing IBAs where species is recorded and triggers any of the IBA criteria.

Ecology: It is assumed, based on good anecdotal evidence, to be a bird of tropical montane forest. A local guide on Obi in 1991-1992 stated that it inhabits interior forests, where it is sometimes flushed (from very close range) on ridgetops above c.500 m during dry periods. It is assumed to be resident, but may make local elevational movements.

Threats Bacan and Obi are both small islands, with limited hill and montane forest. There are no gazetted protected areas on either island and any deforestation is likely to cause difficulties for the species. Much lowland forest on Obi has been logged or is under logging concession, and illegal gold mining is reported to be destroying further areas of forest. On Bacan, Gunung Sibela Strict Nature Reserve embraces just over 100 km² of upland forest, but its lowland forest (at least) is under pressure from agricultural encroachment and gold mining. It is possible that hunting is an additional threat, although this remains to be confirmed.

Conservation measures underway On Bacan, it probably occurs in Gunung Sibela Strict Nature Reserve. On Obi, there are two further proposed protected areas, Pulau Obi and Danau Saku (whose fringing forests might support a population). It remains to be determined whether these are the most appropriate areas for the conservation of threatened, endemic avifauna. Given that they are the most mountainous parts of either island, they are probably ideally situated to conserve this species.

Conservation measures proposed Conduct further surveys on both islands (particularly within proposed protected areas) to establish its distribution, population status, ecological requirements and main threats. Support the effective management of Gunung Sibela Strict Nature Reserve (Bacan) and the establishment of protected areas at Pulau Obi and Danau Saku (Obi), ensuring that these are suitably designed and situated. Devise and implement further conservation measures on each island.

References BirdLife International (2001).

Further web sources of information

Fully detailed species accounts from the Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book (BirdLife International 2001), together with new information collated since the publication of the Red Data Book

Text account compilers Phil Benstead (BirdLife International), Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Pete Davidson (BirdLife International), Joe Tobias (BirdLife International)

IUCN Red List evaluators Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Mike Crosby (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2010) Species factsheet: Scolopax rochussenii. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 30/7/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

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