Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species is endemic to a handful of islands in the Banggai archipelago, off Sulawesi, Indonesia. Despite its small range, it is common and has a relatively large population size. There is some evidence that it is impacted by habitat loss (especially caused by slash and burn agriculture), but there is nothing to suggest declines are rapid, or that the species occurs at only a small number of Locations. Accordingly, it is listed as Near Threatened.
Population justification
This species is confined to the island of Peleng (and Labobo) where it is described as 'fairly common'. Surveys conducted by Burung Indonesia (BirdLife in Indonesia) on Peleng found Otus mendeni at all 11 sites surveyed, including forest, plantations, palm thickets and woodlands (J. S. Udin in litt. 2023). In its range, approximately 1,800 km2 of suitable habitat remains (Global Forest Watch 2023, based on data from Hansen et al. [2013] and methods disclosed therein). No precise density estimate for this species, or others closely related to it, are available, however densities of Otus are often relatively high on small islands (König and Weick 2008). Accordingly, a population size of roughly 10,000-40,000 mature individuals is suspected, equivalent to a combined density/occupancy of c.5-20 mature individuals/km2, which is considered accurate, if not precise.
Trend justification
The population is suspected to be declining in response to ongoing habitat loss and degradation, although the rate of decline is difficult to determine. Remote sensing data (Global Forest Watch 2023, using data from Hansen et al. [2013] and methods disclosed therein) indicate that c.12% of forest cover has been lost from this species' range in the ten years to 2022. However, the species is tolerant of habitat degradation and has been recorded in plantations and thinly wooded habitats (Rheindt et al. 2010, 2014; Eaton et al. 2021, eBird 2023, J. S. Udin in litt. 2023), suggesting that forest cover loss may not be proportionate with population declines. Nonetheless, some forest losses are thought to amount to total clearance for agricultural land, and the species is therefore suspected of declining at an ongoing rate of c.1-9% over ten years.
Otus mendeni is endemic to Peleng in the Banggai Islands, Indonesia (König and Weick 2008). It is also known from Labobo (Coates and Bishop 1997) and may occur too on other islets of Peleng.
Eaton et al. (2021) regard this as a fairly common species 'in woodland and plantations throughout [the island of Peleng]'. This summary is congruent with other descriptions of the species' tolerances, with Indrawan et al. (1997) hearing the species in an area of degraded lowland forest and Rheindt et al. (2010) finding it common in primary and degraded forests, to over 900 m. More recently, surveys at 11 sites on Peleng found it at all, including in degraded forest (J. S. Udin in litt. 2023). Rheindt et al. (2014) heard it to 1,000 m, suggesting that it probably occurs to the island's peak (1,100 m).
The principal threat to this species is logging and forest clearance for agricultural expansion. Although conversion to oil palm plantations had reportedly slowed by 2016 (M. Indrawan in litt. 2016), remote sensing data (Global Forest Watch 2023) indicate that, overall, the rate of forest cover loss since 2016 is no slower than the decade before. Forest is lost principally to slash and burn agriculture (J. S. Udin in litt. 2023). The impact of this forest cover loss on Otus mendeni is difficult to define: like most insular scops-owls, it appears to be tolerant of even substantial degradation, and has been observed in plantations and heavily degraded forest types (Eaton et al. 2021, J. S. Udin in litt. 2023). Nonetheless, at least some of the forest cover observed between 2012 and 2022 appears amount to total clearance and undoubtedly affects this tree-dependent species. There is no evidence it is hunted, and apparently this is considered a taboo by local people on Peleng (J. S. Udin in litt. 2023).
Conservation Actions Underway
No targeted conservation actions are known for this species, but more general conservation actions were outlined in Indrawan et al. (2014). The authors suggest an effort of engagement with all relevant stakeholders including local communities, district government, and district parliamentarians with emphasis on building capacities of local communities for better and more sustainable tenure (M. Indrawan in litt. 2016). In at least some parts of Peleng, local people remain concerned by economic impacts of sustainable schemes (Fathurrahman and Supriatna 2022). Moreover, Burung Indonesia are currently working on Peleng with the aim of reducing habitat loss and degradation by implementing awareness and education and mainstreaming endemic biodiversity protections into local government policy and programmes (J. S. Udin in litt. 2023).
Conservation Actions Proposed
Carry out surveys to assess the population size. Study the species' ecology and habitat requirements. Continue to monitor changes in land-use on Peleng. Protect areas of suitable habitat, and try to help in the regeneration of forest (Indrawan et al. 2014, M. Indrawan in litt. 2016). Support local communities to outline the indigenous territories under forest cover (M. Indrawan in litt. 2016).
Text account compilers
Berryman, A.
Contributors
Indrawan, M. & Sulfani Udin, J.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Banggai Scops-owl Otus mendeni. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/banggai-scops-owl-otus-mendeni on 24/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 24/11/2024.