Macronous ptilosus

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	TIMALIIDAE

Scientific Name:

Macronous ptilosus

Species Authority:

Jardine & Selby, 1835

Common Name/s:

English

–

Fluffy-backed Tit-babbler, Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler

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:

Duckworth, W. & Yong, D.

Justification:
This species is considered Near Threatened as it is limited to lowland forest habitats in a region in which deforestation is rife. It persists in secondary and logged habitats, suggesting that it may not be at imminent threat, but many populations are likely to be declining moderately rapidly owing to wholesale habitat loss. Should the species be found to be declining less rapidly or to be more tolerant of degraded habitats than currently thought, it would warrant downlisting to a lower threat category.

History:

2008	–	Near Threatened
2004	–	Near Threatened

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Macronous ptilosus occurs in the Sundaic lowlands, from peninsular Thailand, Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore (formerly), Kalimantan (including Anamba Islands) and Sumatra (including offshore islands), Indonesia and Brunei, where it is locally very common in suitable habitats.
Countries:	Native: Brunei Darussalam; Indonesia; Malaysia; Thailand
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is described as generally scarce to fairly common (del Hoyo et al. 2007).
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This species is found in lowland evergreen forests, including freshwater swamp forest, secondary growth and bamboo, up to 700 m. Although this species is fairly tolerant of degraded forest, being recorded at relatively high densities within selectively logged forests with luxuriant lower-storey growth (e.g. Edwards et al. 2011), evidence from Singapore suggests that it is unable to persist in secondary forest fragments long term (Castelletta et al. 2000). In addition, the species is not found in heavily degraded and disturbed habitats such as degraded peat swamp forest (Posa 2011), plantations and scrub (Peh et al. 2006) or in highly fragmented forest (D. L. Yong in litt. 2012).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

This species is found in lowland evergreen forests, including freshwater swamp forest, secondary growth and bamboo, up to 700 m. Although this species is fairly tolerant of degraded forest, being recorded at relatively high densities within selectively logged forests with luxuriant lower-storey growth (e.g. Edwards et al. 2011), evidence from Singapore suggests that it is unable to persist in secondary forest fragments long term (Castelletta et al. 2000). In addition, the species is not found in heavily degraded and disturbed habitats such as degraded peat swamp forest (Posa 2011), plantations and scrub (Peh et al. 2006) or in highly fragmented forest (D. L. Yong in litt. 2012).

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Rates of forest loss in the Sundaic lowlands have been extremely rapid, owing partly to the escalation of illegal logging and land conversion, with deliberate targeting of all remaining stands of valuable timber including those inside protected areas. Forest fires have also had a damaging effect (particularly in 1997-1998). As this species persists in secondary and logged forests, it may not be under immediate threat from selective logging, but forest clearance (e.g. for plantations and agriculture) remains a real threat.

Major Threat(s):

Rates of forest loss in the Sundaic lowlands have been extremely rapid, owing partly to the escalation of illegal logging and land conversion, with deliberate targeting of all remaining stands of valuable timber including those inside protected areas. Forest fires have also had a damaging effect (particularly in 1997-1998). As this species persists in secondary and logged forests, it may not be under immediate threat from selective logging, but forest clearance (e.g. for plantations and agriculture) remains a real threat.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway None is known Conservation Actions Proposed Monitor populations and habitat trends across the range. Conduct ecological studies to determine precise habitat requirements and response to fragmentation. Improve the management of any protected areas suffering encroachment within the species's range. Increase the area of suitable habitat that has protected status. Implement measures to reduce the number and severity of forest fires.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
None is known

Conservation Actions Proposed
Monitor populations and habitat trends across the range. Conduct ecological studies to determine precise habitat requirements and response to fragmentation. Improve the management of any protected areas suffering encroachment within the species's range. Increase the area of suitable habitat that has protected status. Implement measures to reduce the number and severity of forest fires.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2012. Macronous ptilosus. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 23 May 2013.
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