Justification This poorly known terrestrial forest bird is assumed to have an extremely small population and as such it qualifies as Critically Endangered, although further new information might warrant a reassessment of this judgement.

Family/Sub-family Cuculidae

Species name author Salvadori, 1879

Taxonomic source(s) Collar and Long (1995)

Taxonomic note Carpococcyx radiceus (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into C. radiatus and C. viridis following Collar and Long (1995), who corrected the name radiceus to radiatus.

Identification 55 cm. Large, terrestrial, forest-dwelling cuckoo. Long, full tail. Sturdy green legs and bill. Black crown, shading to green on hind crown. Dull green mantle, upper back, neck sides, wing-coverts and secondaries. Brown lower back with broad greenish-brown bars. Glossy greenish-black wings and tail. Dull green lower throat and upper breast, rest of underparts cinnamon-buff, more rufous on flanks. Green, lilac and blue bare skin around eye. Voice Repeated low whistles (falling then rising in tone: WE-ow-WE), plus issued in a rising series (we-ow-we, we-ow-we, we-ow-we, we-ow-we; each phrase slightly higher than last).

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

50-249

decreasing

25,300 km²

Yes

Range & population Carpococcyx viridis is endemic to the island of Sumatra, Indonesia, where it is only known from eight specimens and a recent series of sightings, all from the Barisan Mountains in the southern half of the island. Unrecorded since 1916, an individual was trapped and photographed in November 1997 at Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (at 500 m)¹. Subsequent records comprise an unconfirmed sighting in 2000 in the Bukit Rimbang-Baling Wildlife Sanctuary from an area of hilly, open secondary forest with dense undergrowth at 700m¹, a bird photographed by a camera-trap near Kerinci Seblat National Park in 2006^2,4 and a bird caught and brought to conservationists in Bukit Barasan Selatan National Park in 2007³. Up to five birds have since been seen and heard in the wild near the site of the original trapped bird in BBS; at Way Titias, near Liwa, in central Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, and another heard calling, and reported by hunters, in an area north of BBS³. Very little is known about its population status. Its close relative, the Bornean Ground-cuckoo C. radiatus, is unobtrusive, which may partly account for the lack of records. However, it seems likely that it is rare and locally distributed.

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

Ecology: Information noted on specimen labels reveals that it inhabits foothill and lower montane forest, with records from 300-1,400 m. All recent records relate from c.800 m. Brief habitat descriptions from collecting localities and the site of the recent sighting indicate that it occurs in primary or little-disturbed forest, though a recent camera-trap record originates from selectively logged forest outside Kerinci Seblat National Park². All known sites appear to have a relatively dense understorey. It is a ground-dweller, feeding on small vertebrates and large invertebrates on the forest floor. It is possible that this species (like the Bornean Ground-cuckoo) will follow foraging wild boar, which can maintain higher densities in degraded secondary forests, that may inadvertently disturb potential invertebrate prey⁴. Other than this, there is no information on its ecology and behaviour.

Threats Deforestation has been extensive on Sumatra and this is probably the main threat. At least two-thirds to four-fifths of original lowland forest cover and at least one-third of montane forest have been lost, primarily to agricultural encroachment by shifting cultivators, which is currently affecting large areas of lower montane forest, even within protected areas. At the type locality, Gunung Singgalang, forest had been cleared up to 1,800-1,900 m as early as 1917. In addition, being a ground-forager, it is possibly susceptible to bycatch from hunting using snares: a recent record was obtained when a bird was captured by a hunter, almost certainly in a snare set for Red Junglefowl Gallus gallus³.

Conservation measures underway There are 20 protected areas in the Barisan Mountains, some of which lie within the current known range of this species. The recent records come from Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park and near Kerinci Seblat National Park. Also, one specimen was collected from within, or close to Kerinci Seblat National Park. Survey effort is likely to increase following the recent recording of its call (although this possibly captured an alarm/distress call rather than the usual call³): knowledge of ground-cuckoo calls has facilitated study of two other Asian species in the past. Efforts to protect habitat and promote tourism are being developed.

Conservation measures proposed Choose potential survey areas by identifying remaining habitat tracts in the Barisan Mountains, particularly near historical localities, and conducting village interviews. Conduct extensive surveys (utilisting recent recordings of the species's call) to establish its true range, current distribution and population, and assess its habitat requirements, threats and conservation needs. Following surveys, review whether key populations are adequately represented within the existing protected-areas network, and if not, advocate establishment of further strategic protected areas. Afford the species full protection under Indonesian law.

References BirdLife International (2001). 1. Zetra et al. (2002). 2. Anon (2006). 3. N. Brickle in litt. (2007, 2008). 4. Dinata et al. (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), Andy Symes (BirdLife International), Joe Tobias (BirdLife International)

Contributors Nicholas Brickle (Wildlife Conservation Society)

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

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Carpococcyx viridis. 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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