Justification This migratory species has a moderately small range, and has declined in some areas as a result of habitat degradation and loss on the wintering grounds. It is therefore currently conisdered Near Threatened, and should be carefully monitored.

Family/Sub-family Monarchidae

Species name author (Eyton, 1839)

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

Identification

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

unknown

decreasing

390,000 km²

No

Range & population Terpsiphone atrocaudata breeds in the humid forests of southern Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu and the Nansei Shoto islands in Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Taiwan (China) (including Lanyu Island) and the extreme northern Philippines. The population on Taiwan is largely resident, but all others are fully migratory. Migration route covers parts of mainland China, Hong Kong (China), northern Thailand, central and eastern Laos, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore. Main wintering areas are in Peninsular Malaysia, northern and western Phillipines and on Sumatra, Indonesia. A recent survey detected a steep decline in part of the Japanese breeding population, although it is still apparently a common breeder on Ryukyu and Batan Islands.

Ecology: This species breeds in mature deciduous or mixed forest and plantations on low hills and mountains, up to 100 m. In central Japan, wooded valleys at lower elevations are preferred. On the wintering grounds, records are from various forest habitats up to 700 m, including mangroves. On migration, it is also recorded from open woodland, suburban parks and gardens in lowlands.

Threats Declines have presumably occurred because of forest loss and degradation in its winter range.

Conservation measures underway CMS Appendix II. Breeding population is present in Kirishima-Yaku National Park (Japan).

Conservation measures proposed Conduct repeated surveys within both the breeding and wintering range to determine current distribution and abundance, as well as assess population trends and rates of habitat loss. Conduct ecological studies to improve understanding of its precise habitat requirements, tolerance of secondary habitats and response to fragmentation. Effectively protect significant areas of suitable wintering habitat.

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), James Gilroy (BirdLife International)

IUCN Red List evaluators Phil Benstead (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), James Gilroy (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Terpsiphone atrocaudata. 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

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