Bubo vosseleri

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	STRIGIFORMES	STRIGIDAE

Scientific Name:

Bubo vosseleri

Species Authority:

Reichenow, 1908

Common Name/s:

English	–	Nduk Eagle-Owl, Usambara Eagle-owl, Usambara Eagle-Owl
Spanish	–	Búho de Usambara

Taxonomic Notes:

Bubo poensis and B. vosseleri (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) are retained as separate species contra Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993) who include vosseleri as a subspecies of B. poensis.

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable B1ab(ii,iii,v) ver 3.1

Year Published:

2012

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Butchart, S. & Taylor, J.

Contributor/s:

Burgess, N., Butynski, T., Fjeldså, J., Moyer, D., Mulungu, E. & Romdal, T.

Justification:
This species has a small range, and remaining tracts of its forest habitat are severely fragmented and under great pressure outside protected areas. Its population is therefore suspected to be declining and it is listed as Vulnerable.

History:

2008	–	Vulnerable
2004	–	Vulnerable
2000	–	Vulnerable
1996	–	Vulnerable
1994	–	Vulnerable

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Bubo vosseleri is distributed throughout the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania, having been recorded from both the East and West Usambara Mountains (including Mt Nilo Forest Reserve (Cordeiro 1998; Seddon et al. 1999a), Uluguru North Forest Reserve (above Tegetero; Hunter et al. 1998), Mkungwe Forest Reserve (15 km north-east of the Ulugurus and particularly common; D. C. Moyer and E. A. Mulungu in litt. 1999), Iwonde Forest in Udzungwa Mountains National Park (T. Butynski in litt. 1999), Kilombero Nature Reserve (Mt Mufu) (Barnes et al. 1999), and Uzungwa Scarp Forest Reserve (along the Kihanga and Mpimbili rivers and in the Mbawi sector; D. C. Moyer and E. A. Mulungu in litt. 1999). There are also unconfirmed reports or probable records from three other locations (J. Fjeldså in litt. 1998; Moreau 1964; D. C. Moyer and E. A. Mulungu in litt. 1999; T. Romdal in litt. 1998). Records from lowland forest in the Usambaras during October-March (Evans 1997b; D. C. Moyer and E. A. Mulungu in litt. 1999) suggest that it may be resident there and the total population may thus be higher than the previous estimate of 200-1,000 individuals (Evans 1997b).
Countries:	Native: Tanzania, United Republic of
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	The population has been estimated at 200-1,000 individuals, however records from lowland forest in the Usambaras (D. C. Moyer and E. A. Mulungu in litt. 1999) suggest that the total population is higher. The population is therefore placed in the range 2,500-9,999 individuals. This equates to 1,667-6,666 mature individuals, rounded here to 1,500-7,000 mature individuals.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Most records are from montane and submontane evergreen forest (800-1,500 m), with some from lowland evergreen forest down to 200 m (Zimmerman et al. 1996). It is presumed to be a canopy-dwelling species (Zimmerman et al. 1996). It may be able to tolerate some human disturbance of forest structure, since it occurs on the forested borders of tea plantations (Zimmerman et al. 1996), and several young birds have been found in forest where the understorey has been cleared for cardamom cultivation. The diet appears to be exclusively small mammals (rodents, insectivores and possibly dwarf bushbabies Galagoides; T. Butynski in litt. 1999; D. C. Moyer and E. A. Mulungu in litt. 1999). The breeding season is thought to be November-February. The nest-site may be a tree-hole.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

Most records are from montane and submontane evergreen forest (800-1,500 m), with some from lowland evergreen forest down to 200 m (Zimmerman et al. 1996). It is presumed to be a canopy-dwelling species (Zimmerman et al. 1996). It may be able to tolerate some human disturbance of forest structure, since it occurs on the forested borders of tea plantations (Zimmerman et al. 1996), and several young birds have been found in forest where the understorey has been cleared for cardamom cultivation. The diet appears to be exclusively small mammals (rodents, insectivores and possibly dwarf bushbabies Galagoides; T. Butynski in litt. 1999; D. C. Moyer and E. A. Mulungu in litt. 1999). The breeding season is thought to be November-February. The nest-site may be a tree-hole.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Unreserved forests in the East Usambaras are under heavy pressure from subsistence agriculture, pit-sawing and grazing livestock (Cordeiro 1998), although most forests in this region have been gazetted as protected areas since 1997-2004 (N. Burgess in litt. 2007). There is also pressure on forest reserves in many areas and this is likely to increase as stocks of fuelwood and timber outside reserved areas are depleted (Cordeiro 1998; Seddon et al. 1999a).

Major Threat(s):

Unreserved forests in the East Usambaras are under heavy pressure from subsistence agriculture, pit-sawing and grazing livestock (Cordeiro 1998), although most forests in this region have been gazetted as protected areas since 1997-2004 (N. Burgess in litt. 2007). There is also pressure on forest reserves in many areas and this is likely to increase as stocks of fuelwood and timber outside reserved areas are depleted (Cordeiro 1998; Seddon et al. 1999a).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway CITES Appendix II. The East Usambara Catchment Forest Project is curbing forest destruction and incorporating much of the remaining unprotected forest into reserves, e.g. at Mt Nilo Forest Reserve (Cordeiro 1998). However, the lack of jurisdiction over neighbouring Public Lands Forest threatens the long-term prospects of reserves (Cordeiro 1998). Conservation action in the Ulugurus focuses on assisting local initiatives and increasing the involvement of local communities in forest management (Buckley and Matilya 1998). Iwonde Forest in Udzungwa National Park is well protected (T. Butynski in litt. 1999). Conservation Actions Proposed Conduct surveys to establish population densities and sizes at known locations (D. C. Moyer and E. A. Mulungu in litt. 1999; Seddon et al. 1999a). Establish a programme to monitor its population and habitat on a regular basis (Seddon et al. 1999a). Improve the protection and management of reserves within the species's range. Continue to increase the involvement of local people in forest management.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix II. The East Usambara Catchment Forest Project is curbing forest destruction and incorporating much of the remaining unprotected forest into reserves, e.g. at Mt Nilo Forest Reserve (Cordeiro 1998). However, the lack of jurisdiction over neighbouring Public Lands Forest threatens the long-term prospects of reserves (Cordeiro 1998). Conservation action in the Ulugurus focuses on assisting local initiatives and increasing the involvement of local communities in forest management (Buckley and Matilya 1998). Iwonde Forest in Udzungwa National Park is well protected (T. Butynski in litt. 1999).

Conservation Actions Proposed
Conduct surveys to establish population densities and sizes at known locations (D. C. Moyer and E. A. Mulungu in litt. 1999; Seddon et al. 1999a). Establish a programme to monitor its population and habitat on a regular basis (Seddon et al. 1999a). Improve the protection and management of reserves within the species's range. Continue to increase the involvement of local people in forest management.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2012. Bubo vosseleri. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 20 May 2013.
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