Wildlife of Lao PDR: 1999 Status Report - IUCN

Wildlife of Lao PDR: 1999 Status Report
Macropygia unchall Barred Cuckoo Dove. Resident; north,
centre B10 , south B2 . Evergreen forest, secondary growth;
mainly in hills and mountains, rare in extreme lowlands.
• Macropygia ruficeps Little Cuckoo Dove. Conservation
Significance: Potentially At Risk in Lao PDR. Documented
Range and Habitat: Resident; north (historically B21 ). Montane
areas, lower (down to 1200 m) during rainy season. Status
Information: There are no recent records, although historically
Little Cuckoo Dove was recorded widely in the north.
It was sometimes noted as rare (David-Beaulieu 1944) but
more often as common (Delacour and Jabouille 1927,
Delacour and Greenway 1940a); records are also given by
Delacour (1929b), Bangs and Van Tyne (1931) and Dickinson
(1970a, 1970b). This contrast suggests that the species may
have declined, although the lack of a plausible reason means
it can only be considered Potentially At Risk in Lao PDR.
Chalcophaps indica Emerald Dove (= Green-winged Pigeon,
^K). Resident; north, centre, south B2 . Evergreen and dense
deciduous forests, and adjacent secondary growth up to at
least 1400 m.
[Geopelia striata Peaceful Dove (= Zebra Dove, ^Sm, ^T)].
Potential introduced resident; north (TDE). Degraded areas.
First recorded on 17 October 1998: a single over rice paddies
on the outskirts of Vientiane (TDE). Twelve near Ban
Thadua in late February 1999 included some singing birds,
suggesting that breeding may be occurring (PD). Introduced
populations occur in Thailand (King et al. 1975) and it seems
possible that the species will become established in parts of
Lao PDR. Peaceful Dove is not kept commonly, if at all, in
Lao PDR and these birds are assumed to have dispersed from
Thailand. The species is retained as provisional not because
identification is in doubt, but because it is unclear if a population
is already established.
• Treron bicincta Orange-breasted Green Pigeon (= Orangebreasted
Pigeon, ^K, ^T). Conservation Significance: Potentially
At Risk in Lao PDR. Documented Range and Habitat:
Resident; south B2 . Open lowland deciduous forest and adjacent
evergreen riverine forest and secondary areas. Status
Information: The only historical record of this species is from
dense forest at the southern foot of the Bolaven Plateau
(Engelbach 1932). Recently it has been recorded only from
Champasak and Attapu Provinces (including five survey
areas; Table 11), specifically from Xe Pian NBCA (locally
frequent), the lower Xe Namnoy (flocks of up to 20), Ban
Samkhang beside the southern Mekong, in Nam Ghong Provincial
PA (one in a hunter’s bag) and commonly (daily maximum
40) in Dong Khanthung PNBCA (Thewlis et al. 1996,
Duckworth et al. 1998a, Round 1998; RJTim). In occurrence
and habitat use it is similar to Yellow-footed Green Pigeon
and, although no historical decline can be demonstrated, the
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species is likely to be at risk for similar reasons and so is best
considered Potentially At Risk in Lao PDR.
• Treron pompadora Pompadour Green Pigeon (= Pompadour
Pigeon, ^K, ^T). Conservation Significance: At Risk in
Lao PDR. Documented Range and Habitat: Resident; north B1 ,
centre (historically; Robinson and Kloss 1931), south
(historically B19 ). Habitat use unclear, but the species is now
very local and may be restricted to some particular types of
lowland forests and adjacent secondary growth. Status Information:
Records prior to 1997 were reviewed by Thewlis
et al. (1998). The only known recent site is Sangthong District
(where presence was re-affirmed in April 1997; PD).
Historically, records come from five widely-separated areas.
All records, historical and recent, come from lowland areas;
Salavan (Engelbach 1932) is the only site not close to the
Mekong.
Treron curvirostra Thick-billed Green Pigeon (= Thickbilled
Pigeon, ^K, ^T). Resident; north B1 , centre, south B2 .
Forests (mainly lowland and evergreen), sporadically in
secondary growth, cultivation; up to at least 1000 m.
• Treron phoenicoptera Yellow-footed Green Pigeon (= Yellowfooted
Pigeon, ^K, ^T). Conservation Significance: At Risk
in Lao PDR. Documented Range and Habitat: Resident; centre
(historically B22 ), south B14 . Open lowland deciduous forest
and adjacent evergreen riverine forest; formerly also cultivation,
scrub and gardens (e.g. David-Beaulieu 1949-1950).
Status Information: Records prior to 1997 were reviewed by
Thewlis et al. (1998). Recently, the species has only been
found in four survey areas (Table 11), including the Xe Kong
basin (centred upon Xe Pian NBCA), Ban Hangkhon
(Champasak Province; Cunningham 1998) and Dong
Khanthung PNBCA (Round 1998). Historically it was found
widely in the south and centre. The Xe Pian area supports
large numbers, but for reasons unclear Dong Khanthung
PNBCA seems not to do so (Round 1998). The species has
not been recorded in some potentially suitable areas such as
Dong Ampham NBCA, Phou Kathong PNBCA (the record
in Davidson et al. 1997 was far from both of these) and Nam
Ghong Prov. PA. These largely hilly areas have only very
little of the level lowland habitat apparently favoured by this
species. Only Xe Pian NBCA and Dong Khanthung PNBCA
have extensive areas of such habitat.
Treron apicauda Pin-tailed Green Pigeon (= Pin-tailed
Pigeon, ^K, ^T). Resident, probably making local movements;
north B9 , centre B10 , south B2 . Evergreen and mixed
deciduous forests, secondary growth at 200-1200 m.
• Treron seimundi Yellow-vented Green Pigeon (= Yellowvented
Pigeon, ^K, ^T). Conservation Significance: Globally
Near-Threatened; endemic to South-east Asia. Not At Risk