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

Taxonomic note
Pterorhinus chinensis was previously split as P. chinensis and P. monachus (del Hoyo and Collar 2016), and both were placed in Garrulax before being moved to current genus following Cibois et al. (2018). P. chinensis and P. monachus were split on the basis that monachus has black vs white ear-coverts, lower face and submoustachial area (4); all-darkish-brown underparts with no hint of mid-grey on belly (1); notably smaller size (effect size for male wings –2.82, score 2). Split prompted by molecular evidence (Wu et al. 2012) although comparisons failed to include P. c. germaini, the closest in plumage colour to monachus. However, form ‘lugens’, a dark morph of nominate chinensis found in Indochina and southern China, resembles monachus closely in having dark underparts and an all-dark cheek-patch, suggesting that differences between the two groups may not be as pronounced as scores indicated. Accordingly, monachus is returned to P. chinensis as a subspecies. Five subspecies recognised.

Taxonomic source(s)
Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International. 2023. Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 8. Available at: https://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v8_Dec23.zip.

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
-	-	-

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2023	Least Concern
2016	Not Recognised
2012	Least Concern
2009	Least Concern
2008	Least Concern
2004	Least Concern
2000	Lower Risk/Least Concern
1994	Lower Risk/Least Concern
1988	Lower Risk/Least Concern

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

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	2,700,000 km2
Severely fragmented?	no	-

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	unknown	-	-	-
Population trend	decreasing	-	inferred	2017-2028
Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	10-19%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	10-19%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	10-19%	-	-	-
Generation length	3.61 years	-	-	-
Number of subpopulations	5-100	-	-	-
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation	1-89%	-	-	-

Population justification: The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is described as generally fairly common (del Hoyo et al. 2007) although locally trapping pressure may mean populations are depleted.

Trend justification: The population is inferred to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction and fragmentation and, perhaps more pressingly, because of trapping for the cagebird trade. Remote sensing data (Global Forest Watch 2023, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein) indicate that forest loss in this species' range is ongoing at a rate equivalent to 13-14% in three generations. However, this species is tolerant of modified habitats, occurring in, for example, thick wooded scrub. Accordingly, while habitat loss and degradation is assumed to be driving declines (especially where this amounts to total clearance of vegetated habitat), it is not necessarily the case that the percentage of forest loss equates directly to population losses. In parts of its range, especially in Viet Nam, trapping may be driving steeper declines than habitat modifications, with birds used domestically, and for export to Indonesia where the species is highly prized for its song and fetching up to $100 USD (e.g., Shepherd 2011, Shepherd et al. 2016, Leupen et al. 2022). Locally this may be driving very rapid population declines, with subspecies germaini, for example, now very difficult to find in the wild in Viet Nam (J. Eaton pers. comm. 2023). However, in other parts of its range, P. chinensis is subject to little to no trapping pressure. Globally, combining the impacts of habitat loss and degradation, and trapping, the species is suspected of having declined by 10-19% over the past three generations (11 years: 2012-2023) and the same rate is suspected in the future.

Country/Territory	Presence	Origin	Resident	Breeding visitor	Non-breeding visitor	Passage migrant
Cambodia	extant	native	yes
China (mainland)	extant	native	yes
Hong Kong (China)	extant	introduced	yes
Laos	extant	native	yes
Myanmar	extant	native	yes
Taiwan, China	extant	introduced	yes
Thailand	extant	native	yes
Vietnam	extant	native	yes

Country/Territory	IBA Name
Laos	Eastern Bolikhamxay Mountains
Laos	Hin Namno
Laos	Nakai Plateau
Laos	Nakai-Nam Theun
Laos	Phou Loeuy
Laos	Upper Xe Bangfai
Thailand	Doi Pha Chang
Thailand	Huai Kha Khaeng
Thailand	Kaeng Krachan
Thailand	Khao Yai
Thailand	Mae Wong
Thailand	Thung Yai - Naresuan
Vietnam	Bach Ma
Vietnam	Ban Bung
Vietnam	Ban Thi - Xuan Lac
Vietnam	Cat Loc
Vietnam	Chu Yang Sin
Vietnam	Cuc Phuong
Vietnam	Dakrong
Vietnam	Ke Bang
Vietnam	Ke Go
Vietnam	Khe Net
Vietnam	Kon Cha Rang
Vietnam	Kon Ka Kinh
Vietnam	Nam Cat Tien
Vietnam	Phong Dien
Vietnam	Phong Nha
Vietnam	Pu Mat
Vietnam	Tam Dao
Vietnam	Vu Quang

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland	major	resident
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane	suitable	resident
Grassland	Subtropical/Tropical Seasonally Wet/Flooded	suitable	resident
Shrubland	Subtropical/Tropical Moist	suitable	resident
Altitude	0 - 1525 m	Occasional altitudinal limits

Threat (level 1)	Threat (level 2)	Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Shifting agriculture	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Agriculture & aquaculture	Wood & pulp plantations - Small-holder plantations	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use	Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target)	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Species mortality
Biological resource use	Logging & wood harvesting - Unintentional effects: (large scale) [harvest]	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use	Logging & wood harvesting - Unintentional effects: (subsistence/small scale) [harvest]	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion

Purpose	Scale
Food - human	subsistence, national
Pets/display animals, horticulture	subsistence, national, international

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Black-throated Laughingthrush Pterorhinus chinensis. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/black-throated-laughingthrush-pterorhinus-chinensis on 23/11/2024.
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 23/11/2024.