Justification This species has been downlisted to Near Threatened: although it has a small range within which it is suspected to occur in only a handful of locations, it is relatively numerous within its favoured habitat, which does not appear to be under significant immediate threat. Further information on the rate and extent of clearance within its narrow altitudinal range would be desirable to confirm its status.

Family/Sub-family Ptilonorhynchidae

Species name author (Chapin, 1929)

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

Identification 27 cm. Male black with fiery crown and mane and golden wing-patch. Female mousy-brown with fine dark scalloping on off-white underparts. Similar spp. Male similar only to extralimital Flame Bowerbird S. aureus and Crested Bird-of-paradise Cnemophilus macgregorii. Female similar to Macgregor's Bowerbird Amblyornis macgregoriae which has unpatterned buffy-brown underparts and is at higher altitudes, and to various birds-of-paradise which are brighter and more contrastingly barred on underparts. Voice Rasping, hissing and other perhaps mimicked calls. Hints Visit basic tourist lodge above Salemben village, four hours rough drive north of Madang.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

2,500-9,999

stable

570 km²

Yes

Range & population Sericulus bakeri is endemic to the Adelbert Mountains in central north Papua New Guinea where it has a very restricted range^2,4. It can be locally moderately common in suitable habitat within its small range^2,6.

Ecology: It mainly occupies a narrow altitudinal band at 1,200-1,450 m (rarely to 990 m) ^1,2,4,5. It is replaced at higher altitudes by the widespread A. macgregoriae. It forages for fruit, especially figs, and insects in forest canopy, visiting suitable fruiting trees in secondary growth close to forest^2,3,4.

Threats Although this mountain range is not heavily populated, this species occurs at the optimum altitude for indigenous agriculture and villagers rely substantially on hunting for food⁴. However, the people of Salemben village do not hunt this species¹, and much of its range remains inaccessible and is unlikely to be logged in the near future⁶. Population pressure (currently 2-3% increase per year in Papua New Guinea) will lead to increasing rates of deforestation but there are few data on current levels and trends of hunting and deforestation, and if most of the resulting clearance is for small-scale garden agriculture the species may not be adversely affected ⁵.

Conservation measures underway None is known.

Conservation measures proposed Survey all forest blocks at suitable altitude. Estimate population densities. Ascertain population structure across isolated forest blocks. Assess hunting pressure. Research rate and trends of forest clearance. Investigate whether all occupied locations are suitable for agriculture. Research tolerance of secondary forest. Establish public awareness projects. Support visitor facilities at lodge above Salemben village.

References 1. B. Beehler in litt. (2000). 2. Coates (1990). 3. Gilliard (1969). 4. R. D. Mackay in litt. (1986). 5. G. Dutson in litt. (2009). 6. B. Beehler & K. Vang in litt. (2008).

Text account compilers Guy Dutson (Birds Australia), Guy Dutson (BirdLife International), Simon Mahood (BirdLife International), Andrew O'Brien (BirdLife International), Alison Stattersfield (BirdLife International), Andy Symes (BirdLife International)

Contributors B. M. Beehler (Conservation International), Guy Dutson (Birds Australia), R. D. Mackay, Kevin Vang

IUCN Red List evaluators Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Andy Symes (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Sericulus bakeri. 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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