Justification This species has a moderately small population, which is divided into a number of isolated sub-populations, and is likely to be declining as a result of wetland destruction in its breeding and wintering grounds, however recent surveys suggest that the population at Poyang Lake, China, could exceed 5,000 pairs (giving a global population exceeding 10,000 individuals), and the species has consequently been downlisted to Near Threatened.

Family/Sub-family Sylviidae

Species name author Seebohm, 1884

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

Synonyms Megalurus pryeri Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993), Megalurus pryeri BirdLife International (2004), Megalurus pryeri BirdLife International (2000), Megalurus pryeri Collar et al. (1994), Megalurus pryeri Collar and Andrew (1988)

Taxonomic note Formerly placed in the genus Megalurus. Use of the genus Locustella follows Drovetski et al. (2004).

Identification 14 cm. Medium-sized warbler. Light brownish-buff upperparts with black streaking except on rump and forehead. Indistinct pale supercilium. Buffy-brown tail feathers with dark shafts. Pale buff underparts becoming darker on flanks. Bright buff undertail-coverts.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

10,000 - 15,000

decreasing

306,000 km²

No

Range & population Megalurus pryeri is known to breed at six localities on Honshu, in the prefectures of Aomori, Akita, Ibaraki and Chiba, Japan, in Jiangxi, Jiangsu and probably in Heilongjiang and Liaoning, China and at Lake Khanka, Russia. Surveys in 2007 at Poyang Lake, Jiangxi, China indicated the presence of a potentially large population, estimated to be up to 5,000 pairs, 1,500 of which are within Nanjishan National Nature Reserve^3,4, and it has recently been found breeding on the Yangtze estuary (Jiangsu province)⁵ and in the Shanghai area⁶. In 2001 it was breeding in Japan at Lower Iwaki-gawa (c37-142 breeding males), Hotokenuma (35-448 breeding males), lower reach of Tonegawa (69-375 breeding males), Byoubusan area (nine singing males) and Ukishima (68-30 individuals in 1998)^1,2. Its population at Ogata-sogen (=Hachiro-gata, 58-122 breeding males in the late 1970s) has declined and recently disappeared². It winters in Honshu and the Shikoku Islands, Japan and the Yangtze basin, China. There are a few records from eastern Mongolia and South Korea and it almost certainly occurs in North Korea. The population in Japan is estimated to be c.2,500 birds^1,2.

Important Bird Areas Click here to view map showing IBAs where species is recorded and triggers any of the IBA criteria.

Ecology: Breeding birds prefer dense, mid-height reeds and grasses in shallow water for nesting, with some taller plants for singing posts. It is very sensitive to habitat structure and does not tolerate vegetation that is too short or too tall. Wintering birds favour reedbeds. It is generally very reluctant to fly.

Threats The main threat is the loss and degradation of marshes in its breeding and wintering grounds. Potential breeding sites at Lake Khanka are being converted to agriculture. Wetlands along Nen Jiang river, China, are threatened by oilfield development, reed harvesting for pulp, and alteration of water-levels through irrigation. In the Yangtze basin, wetlands are being destroyed and degraded. In Japan, many breeding sites are in abandoned rice-fields which would be lost if they were brought back into agricultural production. The key breeding site in Japan, Hotoke-numa, is threatened with conversion to pasture. Pollution and hunting are potential threats in China.

Conservation measures underway CMS Appendix II. It is legally protected in reserves in Japan, where breeding sites at Hachiro-gata and Ogata-sogen are protected, and Hotoke-numa was designated as a RAMSAR Site in 2005². It has been recorded from protected areas at Lake Khanka (Russia), and Zhalong, Shuangtai Hekou, Poyang Hu and Dong Dongting Hu (China). A large population occurs within the Nanjishan National Nature Reserve (Jiangxi province, China).

Conservation measures proposed Survey potential breeding grounds in Russia, China and North Korea. Survey potential wintering grounds to improve understanding of winter range and habitat requirements. Develop habitat management plans in order to maintain suitable breeding habitat at key sites. Maintain and suitably manage known breeding sites. Ensure legal protection of all important sites. Ensure the legal protection of this species in all range countries.

References BirdLife International (2001). 1. Ueda (2003). 2. K. Kato in litt. (2006). 3. He Fen-qui in litt. (2007). 4. X. Huang in litt. (2007). 5. S. Chan in litt. (2009). 6. H. F. Cheung in litt. (2008).

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), Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Mike Crosby (BirdLife International), James Gilroy (BirdLife International), Nic Peet (BirdLife International), Andy Symes (BirdLife International)

Contributors Simba Chan (Wild Bird Society of Japan), H. F. Cheung (Hong Kong Bird Watching Society), Fen-Qi He (Institute of Zoology, Academia Sinica, Beijing), X Huang, Kazuaki Kato (Wild Bird Society of Japan)

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

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Locustella pryeri. 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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