Species

Justification
This recently split species has been classified as Near Threatened owing to concerns that its small population is declining moderately rapidly owing to on-going clearance of forest for shifting agriculture. It is not listed under a higher threat category because there is insufficient information about its sub-population structure.

Taxonomic note
Sphenocichla humei (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into S. humei and S. roberti following Collar (2006).

Identification
Identification. 140-160 cm. Bold white triangular scales on browner upperparts; plain brownish cheek; paler brown above with weaker dark scaling and pale tips; rufescent crown; no supercilium, having just a few pale spots behind the eye. Pale grey tips on mantle and tertials; large bill. Male is darker brown and more heavily scaled overall than female. Juvenile more rufous with weak scaling. Similar species. Sikkim Wedge-billed which is slightly larger and lacks bold white triangular scales. S.roberti has a blunter-tipped bill.

Distribution and population
Spenocichla roberti occurs in north-east India from eastern Arunachal Pradesh south to Assam, Nagaland and north Manipur, north Myanmar and adjacent China (western Yunnan). Although it appears to be rare throughout, this impression is at least partly exaggerated because of the infrequency with which its range is visited by ornithologists.

Population justification
The population size is preliminarily estimated to fall into the band 2,500-9,999 mature individuals. This equates to 3,750-14,999 individuals in total, rounded here to 3,500-15,000 individuals.

Trend justification
The species is suspected to be declining at a slow to moderate rate, owing to logging and habitat degradation resulting from shifting cultivation.

Ecology
It occurs in evergreen forest with large trees and bamboo on the edge of dense jungle, at 300-2,010 m. It occurs in small parties and feeds on insects, particularly woodlice and boring beetles. It breeds in May-June; its nest is a pad of moss.

Threats
While the high altitudes favoured by this species are relatively free from habitat loss, shifting cultivation and logging are nevertheless reducing forest cover, at least in north-east India and north Myanmar.

Conservation actions underway
None are known.

Conservation actions proposed
Study its ecological requirements and its tolerance of habitat degradation. Monitor trends in habitat loss. Protect large areas of suitable habitat at key sites, in both strictly protected areas and community-managed multiple use areas.

References
Collar, N. J.; Robson, C. 2007. Family Timaliidae (Babblers). In: del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Christie, D. A. (ed.), Handbook of birds of the world, vol. 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees, pp. 70-291. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain.

Further web sources of information
Detailed species accounts from the Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book (BirdLife International 2001).

View photos and videos, and hear sounds of this species from the Internet Bird Collection

Text account compilers
Mahood, S., Taylor, J.

Contributors
Anderson, B., Eames, J., Eaton, J.

IUCN Red List evaluators
Butchart, S., Symes, A.

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Sphenocichla roberti. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 21/05/2013. Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 21/05/2013.

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

To contribute to discussions on the evaluation of the IUCN Red List status of Globally Threatened Birds, please visit BirdLife's Globally Threatened Bird Forums.

Additional resources for this species

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