Otus alfredi

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:

Otus alfredi

Species Authority:

(Hartert, 1897)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Flores Scops-owl, Flores Scops Owl

Taxonomic Notes:

Otus magicus (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into O. alfredi following Widodo et al. (1999), O. siaoensis following Lambert and Rasmussen (1998), O. enganensis following Andrew (1992), O. insularis and O. beccarii following Holt et al. (1999) and O. magicus (with species limits accordingly revised).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Endangered B1ab(ii,iii,iv,v);C2a(ii) ver 3.1

Year Published:

2012

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Butchart, S. & Symes, A.

Contributor/s:

Butchart, S., Eaton, J., Pilgrim, J. & Trainor, C.

Justification:
This owl is known from only two locations in a very small range, within which its very small population is in decline as a result of continuing habitat loss and degradation. For these reasons it is classified as Endangered.

History:

2008	–	Endangered
2004	–	Endangered
2000	–	Endangered
1994	–	Not Evaluated

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Otus alfredi is endemic to the island of Flores, Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, where it is known from just two localities in the western mountains (BirdLife International 2001). Originally collected on Gunung Repok in 1896 in the Todo mountains of south-west Flores, it was not seen again until 1994, when a single juvenile was mist-netted and collected at 1,400 m on the northern slopes of Poco Mandasawu in the Ruteng mountains, and an adult was mist-netted at Danau Ranamese at 1,200 m in the Ruteng mountains. It has since been seen again at Danau Ranamese in 1997, in 2005 (when its vocalisations were described), and in 2006 (Eaton in litt. 2006). Local reports suggest it may also still occur on Gunung Repok, but information regarding its population is completely lacking. It has a tiny known range, and the puzzling lack of records for nearly a century may perhaps be because it is silent (but still present) in the dry season, when all attempts to locate it have been made.
Countries:	Native: Indonesia
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	The population is estimated to number in the low hundreds or the low thousands based on an analysis of historical and recent records and surveys. An estimate derived from density data from congeners, and data on the species's Extent of Occurrence, suggests the population numbers 250-2,499 mature individuals. This is roughly equivalent to 370-3,800 individuals in total.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It inhabits montane forest from 1,000 m to at least 1,400 m. If it survives on Gunung Repok, as villagers report, then it must either tolerate the highly degraded forest now present below 1,300 m around the type-locality, or occur above 1,500 m in stunted montane forest. One bird was observed perching 15 m up in the subcanopy. It is assumed to be resident, but may perhaps make local altitudinal movements.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

It inhabits montane forest from 1,000 m to at least 1,400 m. If it survives on Gunung Repok, as villagers report, then it must either tolerate the highly degraded forest now present below 1,300 m around the type-locality, or occur above 1,500 m in stunted montane forest. One bird was observed perching 15 m up in the subcanopy. It is assumed to be resident, but may perhaps make local altitudinal movements.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Forest loss and fragmentation (chiefly as a result of shifting cultivation, dry season burn-off and road-building) is already extensive on Flores, with remaining forest tracts generally confined to steep-sided valleys and higher peaks. This species has a remarkably small known range, and most primary forest has been cleared or degraded in the mountains outside of Ruteng Nature Recreation Park.

Major Threat(s):

Forest loss and fragmentation (chiefly as a result of shifting cultivation, dry season burn-off and road-building) is already extensive on Flores, with remaining forest tracts generally confined to steep-sided valleys and higher peaks. This species has a remarkably small known range, and most primary forest has been cleared or degraded in the mountains outside of Ruteng Nature Recreation Park.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway CITES Appendix II. It has recently been recorded in the Ruteng Nature Recreation Park, newly established to protect an important remnant tract of montane forest. Conservation Actions Proposed Conduct extensive nocturnal surveys (using mist-netting and use of vocalisations if available [Hutchinson et al. 2007]), on mountains in the Ruteng massif, and also the ridge forests of Mata Wae Ndeo (north of the Tanjung Kerita Mese peninsula) to establish its range, status and ecological requirements. Identify, and propose for strict protection, an appropriate area of mid-altitude, semi-evergreen forest to conserve a range of upper-elevation endemic taxa. Implement active management of Ruteng Nature Recreation Park to protect this owl and its habitat, and upgrade forest adjacent to Rana Mese within this park to wildlife sanctuary status.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix II. It has recently been recorded in the Ruteng Nature Recreation Park, newly established to protect an important remnant tract of montane forest.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Conduct extensive nocturnal surveys (using mist-netting and use of vocalisations if available [Hutchinson et al. 2007]), on mountains in the Ruteng massif, and also the ridge forests of Mata Wae Ndeo (north of the Tanjung Kerita Mese peninsula) to establish its range, status and ecological requirements. Identify, and propose for strict protection, an appropriate area of mid-altitude, semi-evergreen forest to conserve a range of upper-elevation endemic taxa. Implement active management of Ruteng Nature Recreation Park to protect this owl and its habitat, and upgrade forest adjacent to Rana Mese within this park to wildlife sanctuary status.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2012. Otus alfredi. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 19 May 2013.
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