Wildlife of Lao PDR: 1999 Status Report - IUCN

ANNOTATED LIST OF SPECIES
Key species recorded from each major survey area are
shown in Table 11.
Phasianidae: Francolins, quails, partridges, pheasants etc.
(13 species)
Francolinus pintadeanus Chinese Francolin. Resident; north
(JWD), centre B10 , south B2 . Open deciduous forest, especially
dry dipterocarp forest, exceptionally open grass and scrub;
lowlands up to at least 1000 m. Records from Sangthong
District (north) were inadvertently omitted by Duckworth
(1996a). The species is commonly sold, roasted, at roadside
stalls in south and central Lao PDR, and locally in Vientiane.
• Coturnix japonica Japanese Quail. Conservation Significance:
Little Known in Lao PDR. Documented Range and
Habitat: Winter visitor; north (historically B21 ). Rice-fields and
other open areas over 1000 m. Status information: Formerly
an abundant winter visitor to Xiangkhouang Province between
12 October and 30 April (David-Beaulieu 1944), but
no recent records, despite a substantial amount of recent activity
in north Lao PDR. Pending more specific effort in agricultural
areas above 1000 m, the species is retained as Little
Known in Lao PDR, although it seems likely that it has
declined.
• Coturnix chinensis Blue-breasted Quail. Conservation
Significance: Little Known in Lao PDR. Documented Range
and Habitat: Presumed resident; north B9 , centre (provisionally,
Robichaud 1999; historically B22 ). Delacour and Jabouille
(1940) listed the species as occurring across Lao PDR but
we have traced no primary record for the south. Open areas,
grass, scrub and cultivation. Status Information: Records prior
to 1996 were reviewed by Duckworth et al. (1998a). Historical
records come from Xiangkhouang and Savannakhet Provinces;
the species was common in at least the former (David-
Beaulieu 1944, 1949-1950). The only recent records are of a
female at Phou Khaokhoay NBCA in October 1994
(Duckworth et al. 1998a) and a few, provisionally, in Nakai-
Nam Theun NBCA in December 1998 (Robichaud 1999).
However, quails occupy habitats outside the foci of recent
survey effort and field identification is difficult (they are often
seen only in flight and are difficult to identify to species).
Blue-breasted Quail may in fact be well distributed, but since
there are very few recent records even of unidentified quails
in Lao PDR, it should be regarded as Little Known in Lao
PDR. There is also concern for its status in the Sundaic
subregion (McGowan and Gillman 1997).
Arborophila rufogularis Rufous-throated Partridge. Resident;
north, centre B14 , south B12 . Evergreen forests and secondary
growth, generally above 900 m. Records prior to 1997
were reviewed by Thewlis et al. (1998). In view of the
Birds
species’s apparently secure status, it was dropped from the
recommended list of key species.
Arborophila brunneopectus Bar-backed Partridge. Resident;
north, centre, south B14 . Evergreen forest and secondary
growth, generally between 500 and at least 1650 m, occasionally
as low as 180 m. Records prior to 1997 were reviewed
by Thewlis et al. (1998). In view of the species’s
apparently secure status, it was dropped from the recommended
list of key species.
Arborophila charltonii Scaly-breasted Partridge (separated
as A. chloropus Scaly-breasted Partridge by ^Sm, ^T). Resident;
north B1 , centre, south B2 . Lowland evergreen forests, tall
secondary growth and sometimes cultivation edge; exceptionally
up to 1170 m. The morphology and calls of these
partridges vary somewhat across Lao PDR. Given the current
debate over the taxonomy of this group (Inskipp et al.
1996), this may warrant further investigation. A. charltonii
(s.s.), which occurs in northern Vietnam and so may perhaps
be found in Lao PDR, is listed by Collar et al. (1994) as
Globally Threatened - Vulnerable.
Bambusicola fytchii Mountain Bamboo Partridge. Resident;
north B8 . Open scrub, grass, bamboo and secondary
growth, generally above 1000 m, but occasionally down to
630 m.
Gallus gallus Red Junglefowl. Resident; north B1 , centre,
south B2 . Forest, forest edge, secondary growth, scrub and
cultivation; mainly lowland but up to at least 1250 m. No
assessment has yet been made of the genetic purity of wildliving
stocks in Lao PDR. There is considerable concern for
the global status of wild Red Junglefowl (Peterson and Brisbin
1998).
Lophura nycthemera Silver Pheasant. Resident; north, centre,
south B14 . Hill and montane forests (mainly evergreen)
and tall secondary growth, generally at 500-2020 m, occasionally
as low as 200 m. Records prior to 1997 were reviewed
by Thewlis et al. (1998). In view of the species’s
apparently secure status, it was dropped from the recommended
list of key species. Several races occur in Lao PDR:
L. n. engelbachi (Bolaven Plateau, and probably north and
west to Xe Bang-Nouan NBCA), L. n. beaulieui (the north,
south to 17ºN) and L. n. berliozi (western slopes of the
Annamites and the Nakai Plateau). Birds in the south-east,
e.g. Phou Ahyon area, have dark plumage and thus could
either represent a significant eastward extension of the known
range of L. n. engelbachi, or the race L. n. beli, which occurs
in adjacent Vietnam (Delacour 1951a, McGowan and Panchen
1994, Thewlis et al. 1998). L. n. engelbachi was considered
to be globally endangered by McGowan and Garson (1995),
but this assessment was made on the assumption that it was
restricted to the Bolaven Plateau. (Plate 1)
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