Lamprolia victoriae

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	PASSERIFORMES	MONARCHIDAE

Scientific Name:

Lamprolia victoriae

Species Authority:

Finsch, 1874

Common Name/s:

English

–

Silktail

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Near Threatened ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Mahood, S., Butchart, S.

Contributor/s:

Dutson, G., Watling, D., Kretzschmar, J.

Justification:
This species is classified as Near Threatened because it has a moderately small population within a very small range, and numbers are declining owing to losses of mature forest through continuing logging, plantation establishment and clearing for agriculture. However, the range is not yet severely fragmented or restricted to few locations. For these reasons, the species is classified as Near Threatened. If further studies show that the population is smaller than currently thought or it is declining rapidly, an uplisting to Vulnerable may be warranted.

History:

2006	–	Near Threatened
2004	–	Vulnerable
2000	–	Vulnerable
1996	–	Vulnerable
1994	–	Vulnerable

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Lamprolia victoriae is endemic to Fiji, being common and widespread on Taveuni (nominate victoriae) but highly localised on Vanua Levu (subspecies kleinschmidti), where it is restricted to the Natewa Peninsula and does not occur in remaining apparently suitable habitat in the south-east³. In 1973 and 1975, it was readily found in groups of two to five². In 1990, a total of 235 birds were located⁸. More recently, its population in the Natewa Peninsula was estimated at 3,000-6,000 pairs⁴. On Taveuni, where relatively little forest has been lost, 5,000-8,000 pairs were estimated in 2000¹¹.
Countries:	Native: Fiji
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	J. S. Kretzschmar in litt. (2000).
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It inhabits wet, mature rainforest, forest pockets, logged forest and plantations close to intact forest (although at lower densities)^3,8. It feeds on small arthropods and worms in the leaf-litter and insects in the lower canopy¹. On Vanua Levu, it occupies similar feeding zones to those of Fiji Shrikebill Clytorhynchus vitiensis, this overlap resulting in the larger C. vitiensis displacing the smaller L. victoriae and perhaps contributing to its rarity whilst, on Taveuni, it mainly occupies the undergrowth thus reducing competition with C. vitiensis⁵.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

It inhabits wet, mature rainforest, forest pockets, logged forest and plantations close to intact forest (although at lower densities)^3,8. It feeds on small arthropods and worms in the leaf-litter and insects in the lower canopy¹. On Vanua Levu, it occupies similar feeding zones to those of Fiji Shrikebill Clytorhynchus vitiensis, this overlap resulting in the larger C. vitiensis displacing the smaller L. victoriae and perhaps contributing to its rarity whilst, on Taveuni, it mainly occupies the undergrowth thus reducing competition with C. vitiensis⁵.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	On Vanua Levu, the Natewa Peninsula is already extensively logged and habitat continues to be lost due to logging, clearance for agriculture and conversion of logged forest to exotic plantations⁸. Exploitation of existing mature mahogany plantations is a further risk³. Although the rate of conversion of old-growth native forest to mahogany plantations has slowed significantly,with the rate of forest loss estimated to have returned to the underlying rate of 0.5-0.8 % per annum¹², it has nevertheless been estimated that c.100-130 km² of the existing range could be lost within the next 10 years⁴. On Taveuni, there was some logging during the 1990s and forest continues to be cleared for agriculture, albeit slowly⁹.

Major Threat(s):

On Vanua Levu, the Natewa Peninsula is already extensively logged and habitat continues to be lost due to logging, clearance for agriculture and conversion of logged forest to exotic plantations⁸. Exploitation of existing mature mahogany plantations is a further risk³. Although the rate of conversion of old-growth native forest to mahogany plantations has slowed significantly,with the rate of forest loss estimated to have returned to the underlying rate of 0.5-0.8 % per annum¹², it has nevertheless been estimated that c.100-130 km² of the existing range could be lost within the next 10 years⁴. On Taveuni, there was some logging during the 1990s and forest continues to be cleared for agriculture, albeit slowly⁹.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway The species is protected under Fijian law. On Vanua Levu, a "silktail" reserve has been proposed^3,6,8; however, it has not been gazetted and parts of it are being converted to mahogany plantation¹⁰. On Taveuni, it occurs in the established but unmanaged Ravilevu Nature Reserve and in the Bouma National Heritage Park. Conservation Actions Proposed Determine population size and trends, incorporating training of people from local communities in survey techniques⁷. In the Natewa Peninsula, advocate the cessation of mahogany planting⁷. Implement the existing reserve proposal⁷. Raise awareness of the threat to the species within local communities⁷. On Taveuni, initiate management in the Ravilevu Nature Reserve¹⁰.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
The species is protected under Fijian law. On Vanua Levu, a "silktail" reserve has been proposed^3,6,8; however, it has not been gazetted and parts of it are being converted to mahogany plantation¹⁰. On Taveuni, it occurs in the established but unmanaged Ravilevu Nature Reserve and in the Bouma National Heritage Park.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Determine population size and trends, incorporating training of people from local communities in survey techniques⁷. In the Natewa Peninsula, advocate the cessation of mahogany planting⁷. Implement the existing reserve proposal⁷. Raise awareness of the threat to the species within local communities⁷. On Taveuni, initiate management in the Ravilevu Nature Reserve¹⁰.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2008. Lamprolia victoriae. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 24 May 2012.
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