Urocissa ornata

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	PASSERIFORMES	CORVIDAE

Scientific Name:

Urocissa ornata

Species Authority:

(Wagler, 1829)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Ceylon Blue Magpie, Ceylon Magpie, Sri Lanka Blue Magpie, Sri Lanka Magpie

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable B1ab(ii,iii,iv) ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Butchart, S., Bird, J., Crosby, M.

Contributor/s:

Kotagama, S.

Justification:
This species has a small, declining population and range, which is also severely fragmented, as a result of the degradation and clearance of humid forest. These factors qualify it as Vulnerable.

History:

2004	–	Vulnerable
2000	–	Vulnerable
1996	–	Vulnerable
1994	–	Vulnerable

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Urocissa ornata is endemic to Sri Lanka, where it is restricted to the central mountains and foothills of the wet zone. Its population has apparently been declining and becoming more fragmented since the late 19th century. Surveys in 2004-2006 identified the species in 38 forest patches restricted to six main forest complexes: Kanneliya-Dediyagala-Nakiyadeniya - KDN complex, Sinharaja, Delwala, walankanda, Central Highland, Knuckles and Bambarabotuwa¹. The combined area of suitable habitat remaining was calculated as 2,025 km² supporting an estimated 14,000 individuals¹.
Countries:	Native: Sri Lanka
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Extensive surveys in 2004-2006 estimated a total population of 10,181-19,765 individuals (Ratnayake 2008). However, the species is a cooperative breeder with a monogamous mating system, so the effective population size and the number of mature individuals may be considerably fewer. Hence we retain a lower bottom estimate here.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It is found in tall, undisturbed, primary forest in the hills and adjoining lowlands of the wet zone, from 2,135 m to below 150 m and has occasionally been recorded from disturbed areas.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The main threat is the extensive clearance and degradation of forests, particularly in the wet zone, owing to conversion to agriculture, especially tea plantations². Logging, fuelwood collection, gem mining, settlement and fire all contribute to forest encroachment, loss and degradation of riparian forests and fragmentation of remaining forest complexes. Some protected forests continue to be degraded and suffer further fragmentation. Forest die-back in the montane region, perhaps a result of air pollution, is a potential threat. Hunting probably contributed to its historical decline but is unlikely to be a major threat today. There is some evidence to suggest that it is prevented from colonising disturbed areas by high rates of brood-parasitism by the Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea. In the hill country, biocides may be contributing to its decline.

Major Threat(s):

The main threat is the extensive clearance and degradation of forests, particularly in the wet zone, owing to conversion to agriculture, especially tea plantations². Logging, fuelwood collection, gem mining, settlement and fire all contribute to forest encroachment, loss and degradation of riparian forests and fragmentation of remaining forest complexes. Some protected forests continue to be degraded and suffer further fragmentation. Forest die-back in the montane region, perhaps a result of air pollution, is a potential threat. Hunting probably contributed to its historical decline but is unlikely to be a major threat today. There is some evidence to suggest that it is prevented from colonising disturbed areas by high rates of brood-parasitism by the Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea. In the hill country, biocides may be contributing to its decline.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway It is legally protected in Sri Lanka. A moratorium was passed in 1990 to protect wet zone forests from logging which has effectively stopped continuous habitat loss in Kanneliya-Dediyagala-Nakiyadeniya - KDN complex and forests remain in Knuckles massif². Recent surveys (2004-2006) found the species in a total of 38 designated forest patches. Of those locations, 60% are either within Proposed forest Reserves-PR (42%) or Other State Forests-OSF (18%) categories, which can be vulnerable to encroachment. The remaining, 40% of forest patches are within the existing protected area system: viz Forest reserves-FR 26%; National Heritage Wilderness Area -NHWA 3%; National Parks-NP 3%; Sanctuary-S 5%; Strict Nature Reserves- SNR 3%^1,2. Conservation Actions Proposed Research its ecology, particularly brood-parasitism by E. scolopacea, and continue ongoing work to determine demographic, habitat and other factors that affect population viability. Encourage protection of important areas of forest holding this and other threatened species, including proposals to designate conservation forests, and ensure their effective management. Maintain the current ban on logging of wet zone forests, with a particular aim to maintain forest corridors that facilitate movement of the species between forest fragments. Promote programmes to create awareness of the value of biological resources amongst local communities.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
It is legally protected in Sri Lanka. A moratorium was passed in 1990 to protect wet zone forests from logging which has effectively stopped continuous habitat loss in Kanneliya-Dediyagala-Nakiyadeniya - KDN complex and forests remain in Knuckles massif². Recent surveys (2004-2006) found the species in a total of 38 designated forest patches. Of those locations, 60% are either within Proposed forest Reserves-PR (42%) or Other State Forests-OSF (18%) categories, which can be vulnerable to encroachment. The remaining, 40% of forest patches are within the existing protected area system: viz Forest reserves-FR 26%; National Heritage Wilderness Area -NHWA 3%; National Parks-NP 3%; Sanctuary-S 5%; Strict Nature Reserves- SNR 3%^1,2.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Research its ecology, particularly brood-parasitism by E. scolopacea, and continue ongoing work to determine demographic, habitat and other factors that affect population viability. Encourage protection of important areas of forest holding this and other threatened species, including proposals to designate conservation forests, and ensure their effective management. Maintain the current ban on logging of wet zone forests, with a particular aim to maintain forest corridors that facilitate movement of the species between forest fragments. Promote programmes to create awareness of the value of biological resources amongst local communities.

Bibliography [top]

	BirdLife International. 2001. Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book. BirdLife International, Cambridge, U.K. Ratnayake, C. P. 2008. Behavior and ecology of Sri Lanka Magpie Urocissa ornata. Unpublished PhD thesis, Department of Zoology, University of Colombo.

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

Ratnayake, C. P. 2008. Behavior and ecology of Sri Lanka Magpie Urocissa ornata. Unpublished PhD thesis, Department of Zoology, University of Colombo.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2008. Urocissa ornata. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 22 May 2012.
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