Zonerodius heliosylus

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	CICONIIFORMES	ARDEIDAE

Scientific Name:

Zonerodius heliosylus

Species Authority:

(Lesson, 1828)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Forest Bittern

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Near Threatened ver 3.1

Year Published:

2012

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Butchart, S. & Symes, A.

Contributor/s:

Beehler, B., Bishop, P., Burrows, I., Burrows, R., Gibbs, D. & Mack, A.

Justification:
This species qualifies as Near Threatened because it has a moderately small population which is thought to be undergoing a moderate decline owing to habitat degradation.

History:

2008	–	Near Threatened
2006	–	Near Threatened
2004	–	Near Threatened

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Zonerodius heliosylus occurs throughout New Guinea (Papua, formerly Irian Jaya, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea) and on the adjacent islands of Salawati and Aru, Indonesia. There are very few recent records and it is such a reclusive species that it is impossible to assess its true population (Coates 1985, Beehler et al. 1986, K. D. Bishop in litt. 1994, D. Gibbs in litt. 1994, Eastwood 1998).
Countries:	Native: Indonesia; Papua New Guinea
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Fewer than 10,000 individuals are estimated to survive (unpublished information supplied by Wetlands International Specialist Groups), so it is placed in the band 2,500-9,999 individuals here. 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:	It frequents streams, pools and swamps in forest to 1,430 m.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Although it is not hunted (B. M. Beehler in litt. 1994) and there are still huge areas of suitable habitat left, it may be threatened by the extensive logging of lowland forest (I. Burrows in litt. 1994, R. Burrows in litt. 1994), especially as it occurs along watercourses (A. Mack in litt. 1999).

Major Threat(s):

Although it is not hunted (B. M. Beehler in litt. 1994) and there are still huge areas of suitable habitat left, it may be threatened by the extensive logging of lowland forest (I. Burrows in litt. 1994, R. Burrows in litt. 1994), especially as it occurs along watercourses (A. Mack in litt. 1999).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway None is known. Conservation Actions Proposed Survey to better understand the abundance and distribution of the species. Protect large areas of lowland rainforest. Ensure protection of forests along watercourses.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
None is known.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Survey to better understand the abundance and distribution of the species. Protect large areas of lowland rainforest. Ensure protection of forests along watercourses.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2012. Zonerodius heliosylus. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 22 May 2013.
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