Species

Justification
This species is believed to have a moderately small range, within which habitat is declining in extent and quality and as a result it is considered Near Threatened.

Taxonomic source(s)
Sibley, C. G.; Monroe, B. L. 1990. Distribution and taxonomy of birds of the world. Yale University Press, New Haven, USA.

Taxonomic note
Gender agreement of species name follows David and Gosselin (2002b).

Synonym(s)
Eumyias sordida Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993), Eumyias sordida Collar et al. (1994), Eumyias sordida BirdLife International (2000), Eumyias sordida BirdLife International (2004), Eumyias sordida , Muscicapa sordida Collar and Andrew (1988), Muscicapa sordida sordida Collar and Andrew (1988)

Distribution and population
Eumyias sordidus is an endemic resident in the uplands of Sri Lanka, where it is generally common within its altitudinal range, but scarce at lower altitudes.

Population justification
The population size is unknown, but the species is described as common, especially at higher altitudes (del Hoyo et al. 2006).

Trend justification
The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction.

Ecology
It occurs in well-wooded areas, at forest edges and sometimes in shady gardens from 1,220-1,830 m. During the non-breeding season it is occasionally recorded down to 450 m in the wetter lowlands. It forages for insects and berries, low down amongst undergrowth, but also on the ground among rocks. Breeding takes place between mid-March and September.

Threats
While it is resilient to forest degradation because of its preference for edge habitats, total clearance of habitat is a potential threat in its limited range. Forest on the island has suffered rapid degradation and fragmentation in the past decades through excessive gathering of fuelwood, clearance for permanent agriculture, shifting cultivation, fire urbanisation and logging. Closed-canopy forest is estimated to have declined from 29,000 km² (44% of the island's area) in 1956 to 12,260 km² in 1983. It is feared that this loss will continue and the status of this species therefore requires monitoring.

Conservation actions underway
No species-specific actions are known, but a number of protected areas occur within its range.

Conservation actions proposed
Assess rates of forest loss within its altitudinal range by remote sensing satellite images. Infer trend estimates based upon the findings. Generate density estimates within different habitats and use these to inform a global population estimate. If appropriate recommend the protection of key forest patches within its range.

References
David, N.; Gosselin, M. 2002. Gender agreement of avian species names. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 122: 14-49.

BirdLife International. 2001. Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book. BirdLife International, Cambridge, U.K.

Taylor, B. 2006. Family Muscicapidawe (Old World Flycatchers). In: del Hoyo, J.; Elliot, A.; Christie, D. A. (ed.), Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 11. Old World Flycatchers to Old World Warblers, pp. 56-163. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

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

Hear sounds for this species from xeno-canto, the community database of shared bird sounds from around the world.

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

Text account compilers
Benstead, P., Bird, J., Khwaja, N.

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

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Eumyias sordidus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 26/05/2013. Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 26/05/2013.

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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