Otus thilohoffmanni

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 thilohoffmanni

Species Authority:

Warakagoda & Rasmussen, 2004

Common Name/s:

English

–

Serendib Scops-owl, Serendib Scops Owl

Taxonomic Notes:

Described as new to science by Warakagoda and Rasmussen (2004).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

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

Year Published:

2012

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Butchart, S. & Symes, A.

Contributor/s:

de Silva Wijeyeratne, G., Kaluthota, C. & Sirivardana, U.

Justification:
This species is listed as Endangered because it has a very small range and correspondingly small population, both of which are undergoing a decline owing to habitat loss and degradation.

History:

2008	–	Endangered
2006	–	Endangered
2004	–	Not Recognized
2000	–	Not Recognized
1994	–	Not Recognized
1988	–	Not Recognized

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Otus thilohoffmanni is endemic to the wet zone of Sri Lanka, where it is known only from Kitugala, Sinharaja, Morapitiya-Runakanda, Kanneliya and Eratna-Gilimale, despite investigation of c.75% of suitable habitat (Warakagoda and Rasmussen 2004, U. Sirivardana in litt. 2006). It escaped detection until 1995 due to its unobtrusive and rather ventriloquial call. Fewer than 100 individuals have now been located in the five known sites (U. Sirivardana in litt. 2006), but it is likely that others remain undetected (Warakagoda and Rasmussen 2004), and it may well occur at additional sites in the wet zone rainforests. On present knowledge the global population is believed to number c.200-250 individuals (Warakagoda 2006), although given its elusive nature the true figure may be somewhat higher.
Countries:	Native: Sri Lanka
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Extensive surveys have located 100 individuals and led to a global population estimate of 200-250 individuals. However, given the species's elusive nature and its ability to remain undiscovered for so long the true population size is likely to be somewhat higher. Therefore, it is probably best placed in the band 250-999 individuals. This equates to 167-666 mature individuals, rounded to 150-700 mature individuals here.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Population:

Extensive surveys have located 100 individuals and led to a global population estimate of 200-250 individuals. However, given the species's elusive nature and its ability to remain undiscovered for so long the true population size is likely to be somewhat higher. Therefore, it is probably best placed in the band 250-999 individuals. This equates to 167-666 mature individuals, rounded to 150-700 mature individuals here.

Population Trend:

Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It occurs in larger areas of lowland rainforest, at 30-530 m altitude (Warakagoda and Rasmussen 2004). It appears to be generally rare, but locally common (Warakagoda and Rasmussen 2004), and pairs occupy large territories (U. Sirivardana in litt. 2006). All locations where the bird has been found so far have been disturbed areas with tall, dense secondary growth (Warakagoda and Rasmussen 2004). For the two hours after dark, it hunts for prey in the undergrowth, later foraging higher; between the undergrowth and subcanopy (Warakagoda and Rasmussen 2004). During the day it roosts 1-2.5 m above the ground, sometimes in pairs within a territory and it will adopt a cryptic posture mimicking wood when threatened (Warakagoda and Rasmussen 2004, Warakagoda 2006). The breeding behaviour of this species is not yet known.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

It occurs in larger areas of lowland rainforest, at 30-530 m altitude (Warakagoda and Rasmussen 2004). It appears to be generally rare, but locally common (Warakagoda and Rasmussen 2004), and pairs occupy large territories (U. Sirivardana in litt. 2006). All locations where the bird has been found so far have been disturbed areas with tall, dense secondary growth (Warakagoda and Rasmussen 2004). For the two hours after dark, it hunts for prey in the undergrowth, later foraging higher; between the undergrowth and subcanopy (Warakagoda and Rasmussen 2004). During the day it roosts 1-2.5 m above the ground, sometimes in pairs within a territory and it will adopt a cryptic posture mimicking wood when threatened (Warakagoda and Rasmussen 2004, Warakagoda 2006). The breeding behaviour of this species is not yet known.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	It has not been found in forest patches smaller than 8.2 km² in extent, indicating that it is sensitive to habitat loss and fragmentation, which has been severe in Sri Lanka (Warakagoda and Rasmussen 2004). Habitat loss is still continuing owing to pressure from settlement, encroachment on protected forests from subsistence logging and small-scale mining operations.

Major Threat(s):

It has not been found in forest patches smaller than 8.2 km² in extent, indicating that it is sensitive to habitat loss and fragmentation, which has been severe in Sri Lanka (Warakagoda and Rasmussen 2004). Habitat loss is still continuing owing to pressure from settlement, encroachment on protected forests from subsistence logging and small-scale mining operations.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway All five known sites are protected as Forest Reserves or Proposed Reserves, administered by the Forestry Department (Warakagoda and Rasmussen 2004). Conservation Actions Proposed Complete surveys for this species in other wet zone forests (Warakagoda and Rasmussen 2004), and smaller patches (C. Kaluthota in litt. 2005). Protect any other sites where it is found. Continue research into the ecology of, and threats to, this species. Estimate its population size.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
All five known sites are protected as Forest Reserves or Proposed Reserves, administered by the Forestry Department (Warakagoda and Rasmussen 2004).

Conservation Actions Proposed
Complete surveys for this species in other wet zone forests (Warakagoda and Rasmussen 2004), and smaller patches (C. Kaluthota in litt. 2005). Protect any other sites where it is found. Continue research into the ecology of, and threats to, this species. Estimate its population size.

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