Justification This species has a moderately small range in which logging is intensifying, since it is fairly intolerant of degraded forest it qualifies as Near Threatened. However, some of the races which occur on very small islands may be very much more threatened.

Family/Sub-family Monarchidae

Species name author Ramsay, 1883

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

Identification

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

unknown

decreasing

-

Yes

Range & population Monarcha browni is endemic to the New Georgia group of islands in the Solomon Islands. It is a low-density forest species with a small total population. It occurs as four quite distinct races, some of which are single island endemics. In particular the distinct subspecies ganongae on Ranongga (where there is little remaining forest) and nigrotectus on Vella Lavella (where logging is extensive) are naturally scarce and therefore highly threatened^3,4,5.

Ecology: It is a primary forest species, rarely found in degraded forest habitats, to a maximum of 600 m.

Threats Widespread logging across the area is causing a decline, but it has strongholds in forest reserves on Kolombangara and unlogged areas on other islands^1,2,3,5 and does not yet have a fragmented distribution. Any significant increase in the areas being logged on these islands could render the species threatened.

Conservation measures underway None is known.

Conservation measures proposed Regularly monitor the populations of all races at selected sites. Research its tolerance of degraded forest. Protect significant areas of remaining primary forest from logging on all islands where it occurs. Fully investigate the taxonomic status of the four races.

References 1. Blaber (1990). 2. Buckingham et al. (1995). 3. G. Dutson pers. obs. (1998). 4. Gibbs (1996). 5. Hornbuckle (1999).

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

Contributors Guy Dutson (Birds Australia)

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

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Monarcha browni. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 9/2/2010

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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