• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

Taxonomic note

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A., Fishpool, L.D.C., Boesman, P. and Kirwan, G.M. 2016. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 2: Passerines. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
Sibley, C. G.; Monroe, B. L. 1990. Distribution and taxonomy of birds of the world. Yale University Press, New Haven, USA.

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
-	-	A2ac+3c+4c; C2a(i)

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2016	Vulnerable	A2ac+3c+4c; C2a(i)
2013	Vulnerable	A2ac+3c+4c;C2a(i)
2012	Vulnerable	A2ac+3c+4c;C2a(i)
2008	Vulnerable	A2c; ; A4c; C1; C2a(i)
2004	Vulnerable
2000	Vulnerable
1994	Lower Risk/Near Threatened
1988	Near Threatened

Migratory status	not a migrant	Forest dependency	Medium
Land mass type	Land-mass type - continent	Average mass	-

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence breeding/resident (km2)	359,000	medium
Number of locations	11-100	-
Severely Fragmented		-

	Value	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
No. of mature individuals	2500-9999	poor	estimated	2000
Population trend	Decreasing	poor	estimated	-
Decline (3 years/1 generation past)		-	-	-
Decline (5 years/1 generation past)		-	-	-
Decline (10 years/1 generation past)		-	-	-
Decline (10 years/3 generation future)	30-49	-	-	-
Decline (10 years/3 generation past and future)	30-49	-	-	-
Number of subpopulations	2-100	-	-	-
Percentage in largest subpopulation		-	-	-

Population justification: Although this species has a large EOO (210,000 km²), it is very patchily distributed, in being restricted to hills and hill ranges. Surveys of 18 sites showed it to be common in intact suitable habitat, but this was 'very limited'. Analysis of the detailed account in BirdLife International (2001) suggests that the total population may well be below 10,000 individuals, so it is placed in the band 2,500-9,999 individuals here. This equates to 1,667-6,666 mature individuals, rounded here to 1,500-7,000 mature individuals.

Trend justification: Recent surveys of 18 sites found that the species had disappeared from six historical locations. Habitat loss is occurring throughout its fragmented range, suggesting that rapid population declines are likely to be on-going, although habitat in south India is largely intact and in some areas vegetation on hills is recovering (S. Subramanya in litt. 2016). It is thought to have been significantly more abundant in the past, particularly in the Western Ghats (Subramanya et al. 2006).

Country/Territory	Occurrence status	Presence	Resident	Breeding	Non-breeding	Passage
India	N	Extant	Yes

Country/Territory	IBA Name
India	Horsley Hills
India	Kaundinya Wildlife Sanctuary
India	Sri Penusila Narasimha Wildlife Sanctuary
India	Sri Venkateswara Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park
India	Adichunchunagiri Wildlife Sanctuary
India	Bandipur National Park
India	Bannerghatta National Park
India	Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary and Hills
India	Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary
India	Hampi and Daroji Bear Sanctuary
India	Jogimatti Reserve Forest
India	Melkote Temple Wildlife Sanctuary
India	Nandi Hills
India	Ramanagara Reserve Forest
India	Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary
India	Rajiv Ghandi Wildlife Sanctuary (Nagarjunasagar - Srisailam Tiger Reserve)
India	Mudumalai National Park
India	Arabhithittu Wildlife Sanctuary
India	Papikonda National Park
India	Noorukuppalakonda Reserve Forest

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Dry	suitable	resident
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland	suitable	resident
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)		major	resident
Shrubland	Subtropical/Tropical Dry	suitable	resident
Shrubland	Subtropical/Tropical Moist	suitable	resident
Altitude	300 - 1800 m	Occasional altitudinal limits

Threat (level 1)	Threat (level 2)	Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & aquaculture	Livestock farming & ranching - Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Whole (>90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 7
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use	Logging & wood harvesting - Unintentional effects: (subsistence/small scale) [harvest]	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Rapid Declines		Medium Impact: 7
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation
Energy production & mining	Mining & quarrying	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Human intrusions & disturbance	Recreational activities	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Unknown		Causing/Could cause fluctuations		Unknown
		Stresses Species disturbance
Natural system modifications	Fire & fire suppression - Trend Unknown/Unrecorded	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation
Residential & commercial development	Housing & urban areas	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Transportation & service corridors	Roads & railroads	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2022) Species factsheet: Pycnonotus xantholaemus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 26/06/2022. Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2022) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 26/06/2022.