Wildlife of Lao PDR: 1999 Status Report - IUCN

Wildlife of Lao PDR: 1999 Status Report
status should be reconsidered at regular intervals. Special
Significance: CITES Appendix II.
Conservation Management and Research Proposed for
Starlings and mynas:
• Development of adequate controls on the pet trade in Hill
Mynas: nestlings are captured for use as pets (Baird 1993,
Salter 1993a, Thewlis et al. 1998), of which some are
kept locally and some traded to Thailand and Vietnam
(Baird 1993, La-Ong et al. 1997, Compton in prep. b).
Trade to Thailand reportedly involves at least 50 birds
per year and that to Vietnam may be of the same order of
magnitude (Baird 1993).
• Clearer understanding of the habitat use of Golden-crested
Myna (of which nestlings are also traded to Thailand;
La-Ong et al. 1997) and Vinous-breasted Starling.
• Field investigation of the current status of Asian Pied
Starling and threats to it.
Sittidae: Nuthatches (6 species)
• Sitta nagaensis Chestnut-vented Nuthatch. Conservation
Significance: Little Known in Lao PDR. Documented Range
and Habitat: Resident; south B9 . The one known Lao site is
an area of pine forest at 1000 m B9 . Status Information: First
recorded in 1995, on the Bolaven Plateau (Duckworth et al.
1998a); no subsequent records. The site is not within the protected
area system and is threatened by development. If subsequent
work fails to find the species at other sites, it should
be re-classified as At Risk in Lao PDR.
Sitta castanea Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch. Resident; north B9 ,
centre, south B2 . Two forms occur: S. c. neglecta (with relatively
pale rufous underparts) is typical of lowland dry
dipterocarp forest of the Mekong plain and inhabits some
other natural open formations, while S. c. tonkinensis (with
deep chestnut underparts) has been recorded in mixed deciduous
and dense evergreen forest from 250 to 1700 m. The
ecological and taxonomic relationships between these forms
are unclear in Lao PDR, as they are elsewhere (Harrap and
Quinn 1996).
• Sitta himalayensis White-tailed Nuthatch. Conservation
Significance: Little Known in Lao PDR. Documented Range
and Habitat: Presumed resident; north (historically B21 ).
Montane evergreen forest. Status Information: The only Lao
record is of a small flock on Phou Kabo (Xiangkhouang Province)
on 29 May 1939 (David-Beaulieu 1944). The lack of
recent records indicate that the species should be considered
Little Known in Lao PDR.
Sitta frontalis Velvet-fronted Nuthatch. Resident; north,
centre, south B2 . Evergreen forest, but patchy in occurrence,
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locally in deciduous forests and pine forests, and occasionally
in other habitats such as mature secondary growth,
freshly-cleared land for cultivation retaining relict trunks; up
to 1650 m.
• Sitta solangiae Yellow-billed Nuthatch. Conservation
Significance: Globally Threatened - Vulnerable; Potentially
At Risk in Lao PDR; endemic to Lao PDR, Vietnam and
Hainan (south China). Documented Range and Habitat: Resident;
south B14 . Evergreen forest at 900-1400 m. Status Information:
The species was first found in Lao PDR in 1996, in
the Phou Ahyon area and two sites on the Dakchung Plateau.
This remains the only region with records. It appears to be
common (Showler et al. 1998a, Thewlis et al. 1998) and occurs
sympatrically with Velvet-fronted Nuthatch. S. solangiae
was found in broad-leaved evergreen forest, with S. frontalis
in adjacent pine woodland, on the Dakchung Plateau (Showler
et al. 1998a). Thewlis et al. (1998) classified this species as
Little Known in Lao PDR. The region of occurrence is under
pressure from forest clearance. Until the species is found to
be more widespread, it should be regarded as Potentially At
Risk in Lao PDR.
• Sitta formosa Beautiful Nuthatch. Conservation Significance:
Globally Threatened - Vulnerable; Potentially At Risk
in Lao PDR. Documented Range and Habitat: Resident;
north B13 , centre B14 . Evergreen forests, usually above 1500 m,
down to 950 m. Status Information: Records prior to 1997
were reviewed by Thewlis et al. (1998). Recent records come
from only three survey areas (Table 11), extending south to
Nakai-Nam Theun NBCA. Most birds were in or near areas
of Fokienia forest.
Conservation Management and Research Proposed for
Nuthatches:
• Conservation of adequate habitat areas for localised species
(Chestnut-vented, White-tailed, Yellow-billed and
Beautiful Nuthatches).
• Preservation of stands of Fokienia in areas supporting
Beautiful Nuthatch. In view of its global threat level, this
species is the nuthatch most in need of attention.
Certhiidae: Northern treecreepers (1 species)
• Certhia discolor Brown-throated Treecreeper. Conservation
Significance: Little Known in Lao PDR. Documented
Range and Habitat: Resident; north B13 . Evergreen forest
above 1460 m. Status Information: Historically, the species
was common in the mountains of Xiangkhouang Province
(David-Beaulieu 1944). This area has been barely visited recently,
and the only recent records are from Nam Xam NBCA
where it occurs in Fokienia forest at 1400-1700 m (Showler
et al. 1998b). It was not found in other areas within or