| 2009 IUCN Red List Category (as evaluated by BirdLife International - the official Red List Authority for birds for IUCN): Vulnerable Justification This species has been uplisted to Vulnerable because remote-sensing techniques indicate that the lowland forest on which this species depends for nesting is being cleared at such a rate that the population is likely to be undergoing a rapid decline.
Family/Sub-family Psittacidae Species name author Sclater, 1864 Taxonomic source(s) Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993) Identification 50cm. White cockatoo, bases of head feathers undersurfaces of wing and tail suffused with yellow. Yellow crest feathers only visible easily when crest is erect. Grey-black bill and feet and diagnostic sky-blue wattled skin around the eyes (much darker than on other similar cockatoos).
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Population estimate | Population trend | Range estimate (breeding/resident) | Country endemic? |
10,000 | decreasing | 19,700 km2 | Yes |
Range & population Cacatua ophthalmica is endemic to New Britain Papua New Guinea where it is widespread in suitable habitat. It is usually encountered in pairs, but bids may congregate in flocks of up to 40 individuals. Although the species may still appear to be relatively numerous, it is long-lived and declines in reproductive output due to deforestation may be masked.
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Ecology: It inhabits tropical lowland rainforest up to an altitude of 1000 m. Although it occurs in disturbed forest it presumably relies on intact forest with large trees for nesting.
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Threats Rapid conversion of lowland forest to oil plantations over the last thirty years is likely to have caused a significant loss of breeding habitat. Although it is rare in the international trade, even limited trapping would be a cause for concern.
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| Conservation measures underway CITIES II.
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| Conservation measures proposed Monitor populations, and breeding success, in logged and unlogged forest throughout its range. Ensure the protection of a number of large areas of lowland forest on New Britain as part of a protected area network for the island. Monitor trends in the national and international trade of this species. Conduct awareness campaigns to discourage trapping of the species. Discourage the logging of trees with holes or other suitable nesting cavities.
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References 1. Buchanan et al. in press. 2. Wilkinson in press.
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Text account compilers Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Jonathan Ekstrom (BirdLife International), Simon Mahood (BirdLife International) |
Contributors B. M. Beehler (Conservation International), K. David Bishop (VENT Bird Tours), Guy Dutson (Birds Australia), Roger Wilkinson (Chester Zoo) |
IUCN Red List evaluators Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Simon Mahood (BirdLife International) |
| Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Cacatua ophthalmica. 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. To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife To contribute to discussions on the evaluation of the IUCN Red List status of Globally Threatened Birds, please visit BirdLife's Globally Threatened Bird Forums |
