Justification This very poorly known species has been reclassified as Vulnerable because there has been extensive deforestation within its range. This is thought to have caused its already small population to decline. However more observations are needed to confirm these trends and this species's habitat requirements.

Family/Sub-family Tytonidae

Species name author (Salvadori, 1881)

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

Identification

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

2,500-9,999

decreasing

35,500 km²

Yes

Range & population Tyto aurantia is endemic to the island of New Britain in Papua New Guinea. It is known from very few specimens and just two recent sightings^1,2,3. Tyto owls have become prehistorically extinct through unknown causes on the adjacent islands of Mussau and New Ireland³. However, as with other congeners, it is likely to be overlooked and it may prove to be not uncommon and tolerant of logged forest.

Ecology: It appears to be a lowland forest species but one specimen was taken at 1,000 m and one bird believed to be this species was heard at 2,000 m³. The two recent sightings were in forest edge, so it may tolerate degraded forest.

Threats If this is a lowland species, then it may be threatened by logging and deforestation. On New Britain, lowland forest clearance for conversion to oil palm plantations has been intense in recent decades and the island accounts for approximately half of Papua New Guinea's timber exports⁵. On that island just over 15% of habitat thought to be suitable for this species has been cleared in the last 15 years, and this trend is ongoing⁵.

Conservation measures underway CITES Appendix II.

Conservation measures proposed Identify and effectively protect a network of reserves, including some containing large areas of unlogged lowland forest and some large community based conservation areas. Continue to monitor trends in forest loss. Attempt to rediscover a population of this species, searching in intact and degraded areas. Research its tolerance of degraded forest.

References 1. K. D. Bishop in litt. (1987). 2. Coates (1985). 3. Gilliard and LeCroy (1967). 4. Steadman and Kirch (1998). 5. Buchanan et al. in press.

Text account compilers Guy Dutson (Birds Australia), Simon Mahood (BirdLife International)

Contributors K. David Bishop (VENT Bird Tours)

IUCN Red List evaluators Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Simon Mahood (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Tyto aurantia. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 10/2/2010

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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