evergreen forest

Description

Blue-rumped Parrot Psittinus cyanurus. This forest-associated species is listed as Near Threatened because it is assumed to have experienced moderately rapid declines owing to the extensive loss of lowland forests from large areas of the Sundaic lowlands, and it may be impacted by trade. It is not considered more threatened because it can use secondary habitats and also occurs in (less threatened) lower montane forest.Psittinus cyanurus is confined to the Sundaic lowlands, where it is known from south Tenasserim, Myanmar, peninsular Thailand, Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Kalimantan, Sumatra (including the Riau, Lingga, Bangka, Simeulue, Mentawai islands), Indonesia and Brunei (Juniper and Parr 1998, BirdLife International 2001). It is only locally common and generally rarer than sympatric Psittacula species. Nevertheless, the global population is thought to be in excess of 100,000 individuals, but declining. Population justification The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is described as common in primary habitat and uncommon in secondary habitats and plantations (del Hoyo et al. 1997). Trend justification Rates of forest loss in the Sundaic lowlands have been extremely rapid and these impacts are compounded by hunting and trapping. However, the species's ability to utilise secondary habitats suggests it has avoided more rapid declines, thus a moderately rapid population decline is suspected. Ecology It inhabits primary, dry-land evergreen and semi-evergreen lowland forest, both mature and selectively logged, and also visits edge vegetation, cultivated areas and gap-phase growth of forest clearings and occasionally mangroves, up to 1,300 m, although generally below 700 m. It is gregarious and regularly forms flocks of up to 20 individuals. Breeding occurs in February to May in Malaysia, and June to September in Borneo. Threats Forest destruction in the Sundaic lowlands of Indonesia and Malaysia has been extensive (Kalimantan lost nearly 25% of its evergreen forest during 1985-1997, and Sumatra lost almost 30% of its 1985 cover), because of a variety of factors, including the escalation of logging and land conversion, with deliberate targeting of all remaining stands of valuable timber including those inside protected areas, plus forest fires (particularly in 1997-1998), and declines are compounded by trapping for the cage-bird industry. However, the species's use of secondary growth and higher elevations implies that it is not immediately threatened. Conservation actions underway CITES Appendix II. Conservation actions proposed Monitor the species's occurrence in trade and address this threat if necessary. Calculate rates of forest loss in the Sundaic lowlands using satellite imagery and remote sensing techniques and estimate population trends accordingly. Protect remaining areas of lowland forest within its range. References Juniper, T.; Parr, M. 1998. Parrots: a guide to the parrots of the world. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. BirdLife International. 2001. Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book. BirdLife International, Cambridge, U.K. Further web sources of information Detailed species accounts from the Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book (BirdLife International 2001). Hear sounds for this species from xeno-canto, the community database of shared bird sounds from around the world. View photos and videos, and hear sounds of this species from the Internet Bird Collection Text account compilers Benstead, P., Bird, J., Taylor, J. IUCN Red List evaluators Butchart, S., Symes, A. Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Psittinus cyanurus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 17/05/2013. Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 17/05/2013. This i...