Family/Sub-family Pycnonotidae

Species name author (Finsch, 1901)

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

Taxonomic note This species was not recognised in BirdLife International (2000, 2001) owing to an understanding that conclusive evidence was being produced of its hybrid origin. However, this evidence, published in Williams (2002), Forktail 18: 107-109, leaves open the possibility that nieuwenhuisii is valid and it is therefore retained here.

Identification

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

unknown

unset

-

No

Range & population Pycnonotus nieuwenhuisii is known from north-east Kalimantan (one specimen collected at 600 m in 1900) and Sumatra (one specimen collected at 700 m in 1937), Indonesia, and Brunei, where single birds were seen on five occasions in 1992 in Batu Apoi National Park. It is unusual for a species of bulbul to be widespread but to occur at such low densities, so this form may represent an extremely rare morph of another species or else hybrids, although it could be a genuinely rare habitat specialist that is occasionally forced to search other areas for food¹.

Ecology: The Sumatran specimen was collected in secondary scrub in pasture land, while the 1992 Brunei sightings occurred in lowland dipterocarp forest at c.60 m.

Threats Unknown, but presumably under threat from habitat loss.

Conservation measures underway None is known.

Conservation measures proposed Carry out a genetic study of the two specimens and examine specimens of other Pycnonotus to help clarify taxonomic status¹.

References Collar et al. (1994). 1. Williams (2002).

Text account compilers Phil Benstead (BirdLife International), Andy Symes (BirdLife International)

Contributors Will Duckworth (Wildlife Conservation Society), Rob Williams (BirdLife International)

IUCN Red List evaluators Phil Benstead (BirdLife International), Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Alison Stattersfield (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Pycnonotus nieuwenhuisii. 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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