Wildlife of Lao PDR: 1999 Status Report - IUCN

cally may have shown wider habitat use. This is a very restricted
habitat use compared with that in many other countries
of the species’s wide range. Status Information: Records
prior to 1997 were reviewed by Thewlis et al. (1998). Pied
Kingfishers have only recently been recorded regularly in
southern Champasak Province, along parts of the Xe Kong
and Mekong mainstream. Recent records from the Thai side
of the Mekong opposite north Lao PDR (Heath 1996) suggest
that small numbers may remain locally elsewhere in the
country, but in comparison with the wide distribution of historical
records (Engelbach 1932, Delacour and Greenway
1940a, David-Beaulieu 1949-1950), it is clear that a major
range contraction has occurred. The reasons for this are obscure
but might include nest robbing: a pair at Ban Hangkhon
(Champasak Province) was robbed, but moved elsewhere and
re-nested successfully (Cunningham 1998).
Conservation Management and Research Proposed for Kingfishers:
• Protection of adequate areas of riverine habitats, particularly
for Blyth’s, Pied, Crested and Ruddy Kingfishers.
• Field investigation of the reasons behind the decline
of Pied and Collared Kingfishers. Kingfishers are near
the top of the wetland food-chain and, given the nearlyextinct
status of other, larger, piscivorous birds in Lao
PDR, may be valuable ecosystem indicators. Alternatively,
declines may merely be driven by nest robbery.
Meropidae: Bee-eaters (5 species)
Nyctyornis athertoni Blue-bearded Bee-eater. Resident;
north B1 , centre, south B2 . Forest, largely evergreen and generally
below 1200 m.
Merops orientalis Green Bee-eater (= Little Green Bee-eater,
^Sm). Presumed resident, probably making local movements;
north B1 , centre B10 , south B2 . Dry dipterocarp forest, other
lightly wooded and open areas with scrub and/or trees, up to
at least 1600 m.
Merops viridis Blue-throated Bee-eater. Seasonal status
unclear, but possibly occurs only as passage migrant; north B7 ,
centre B10 . Habitat use unclear, but probably mainly open
areas; migrants stop in small clearings and follow wider
rivers and ridges in evergreen forest.
• Merops philippinus Blue-tailed Bee-eater. Conservation
Significance: Potentially At Risk in Lao PDR. Documented
Range and Habitat: Seasonal status unclear, but breeds during
dry season; north B1 , centre (historically B22 ), south B11 . Wide
rivers with shrub-covered exposed sediment and adjacent
broken wooded areas. Status Information: Records prior to
1997 were reviewed by Evans et al. (in prep. a). At least 100
were seen in the Seephandon area, with a few along the
Mekong to a point a little upstream of Pakxe, in April - May
1996 (Evans et al. in prep. a). A few were seen near the
Khonphapheng Falls in February 1993 (provisionally;
Thewlis et al. 1996), around Paksang (Sangthong District)
in March and June 1996 (Duckworth 1996a), around the
mouth of the Xe Bang-Nouan in March - May 1997 (Evans
in prep.), around Ban Hangkhon (Champasak Province) in
spring 1997 (Cunningham 1998) and in Dong Khanthung
PNBCA in spring 1998 (Round 1998). These are all likely
breeding areas, but at least six birds in the upper Nam Cham
valley (640 m; Nam Theun Extension PNBCA) on 17 May
1996 (Tizard 1996, RJTiz) were perhaps on passage. The only
historical records are of about 15 presumed migrants in
Xiangkhouang in April 1941, and occasional small numbers
in Savannakhet Province (David-Beaulieu 1944, 1949-1950).
The species occurs mainly along the Mekong and is common
only in the south, a pattern shown by various other species
at risk. None of the four recent survey areas with records
(Table 11) is a declared NBCA. The species nests colonially
in sand-cliffs along accessible lowland rivers and most or all
suitable breeding areas are accessible to people, and may be
harvested; around Ban Hangkhon (Champasak Province),
Chestnut-headed Bee-eater nests were robbed (Cunningham
1998). Colonies may also be vulnerable to sediment flow
changes. The species is clearly Potentially At Risk in Lao
PDR.
Merops leschenaulti Chestnut-headed Bee-eater. Presumed
resident; north B9 , centre, south B2 . Open evergreen and deciduous
forests and open areas with scrub and/or clumps of trees;
often on and over dense scrub along river banks. Generally
below 650 m.
Conservation Management and Research Proposed for Beeeaters:
• Protection of adequate areas of habitat for Blue-tailed
Bee-eater, which depends upon large sand banks in rivers
for nesting areas (other species use smaller rivers,
road banks, etc. and so are less vulnerable); as such habitat
is vulnerable to changes in riverine sediment dynamics,
site-specific activities are likely to be insufficient. Integrated
basin-level planning is needed.
• Field investigation of reasons for the generally low numbers;
eggs are presumably taken but it is unclear whether
adults are harvested.
Cuculidae: Cuckoos (16 species)
Birds
Clamator coromandus Chestnut-winged Cuckoo. Wetseason
breeding visitor, sporadic records during dry season;
north, centre, south B2 . Broken forest, secondary growth and
other areas with a dense understorey, up to at least 650 m.
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