A Preliminary Wildlife and Habitat Survey of the Proposed Northern ...

Great Hornbill Buceros bicornis Regionally at RiskFeathers of this species were found in a Lao Soong village, Ban Kwae, along the Nam Chamnear the present border of the NTX. Schaller (1995) found remains of two within the NTX.The wing beats of a large hornbill (Great, Wreathed or Rufous-necked Hornbill) were heardonce from the wet forest logging road.Blue-naped Pitta Pitta nipalensis Globally Near ThreatenedA male was seen carrying nesting material on 22 May in Mixed Deciduous forest along theHouay Bé (a tributary of the Nam Heun) at 500m. This species as well as other pittas mayoccur much more frequently in the area than the sight records indicate: they are much easierto detect when they are calling.White-winged Magpie Urocissa whiteheadii Globally Near ThreatenedA group of up to eight was encountered on four occasions along the wet forest logging roadwithin non-Fokienia forest at 900-1000m. A group of three in riverside evergreen forestalong the upper Nam Cham on May 15 was the only other group encountered. White-wingedMagpie has been recorded in only two protected areas in Lao.Black-throated Tit Aegithalos concinnus Regionally at RiskOne or two groups were encountered along the wet forest logging road almost daily with 2-5birds per group. This species did not seem to favor either Fokienia or non-Fokienia forest.This species is relatively wide spread in the Annamites and of little conservation concern inLao. Its inclusion in the category of Regionally at Risk is because it is known only from asingle mountain in Thailand.Brown Dipper Cinclus pallasii Regionally at RiskA pair of this species was seen on 21 April along the a tributary of the Nam Pan where itcrosses the wet forest logging road near the abandoned village of Ban Vangkhi.Short-tailed Scimitar Babbler Jabouilleia danjoui Globally ThreatenedTwo were seen in the southern end of the NTX near the Nam Kwai in 1994 (Timmins andEvans 1994). this was the first record of this species outside of Viet Nam.[Spotted Wren Babbler Spelaeornis formosus] Globally Near ThreatenedAn individual thought to be this species was seen in the southern end on the NTX near theNam Kwai. (Timmins and Evans 1994).Gray Laughingthrush Garrulax maesi Globally Near ThreatenedFive to six flocks of up to six individuals seen in a flock were encountered per day along theWet Forest Logging Road . They were approximately equally common within Fokienia andnon-Fokienia forest. A flock of four birds was encountered in evergreen forest along theVietnamese border in the extreme eastern end of the northern section of the NTX. This is thehighest density of this species yet recorded in Lao, making this population of GlobalImportance.Rufous-faced Warbler Abroscopus albogularis Regionally at RiskFour to five flocks of two to five individuals of this species were encountered daily along thewet forest logging road and the upper Nam Cham valley above 800m. This species is listed asRegionally at Risk because it is rare in Thailand. In Lao Rufous-faced Warbler is widespreadin the Annamites and is of low conservation concern.26