Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species has been uplisted to Near Threatened following evidence that demand for the cagebird trade is now is suspected to be driving a moderately rapid to rapid decline on Sumatra within the most recent three generations. Although the population in Thailand /Malaysia is not subject to the same threat, a moderately rapid population decline is nevertheless suspected to be taking place overall.
Population justification
The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is generally described as common (del Hoyo et al. 2007).
Trend justification
The population was suspected to be in slow decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction and fragmentation, but demand for the cagebird trade is now is suspected to be driving a moderately rapid to rapid decline on Sumatra within the most recent three generations. Although the Thailand/Malaysia population is not subject to the same threat, a moderately rapid population decline is nevertheless suspected to be taking place overall.
This species occurs from extreme southern Thailand through peninsular Malaysia, and on Sumatra (Indonesia).
It inhabits broadleaved evergreen forest, forest edge, disturbed and secondary forests and adjoining cultivation, and low growth in old rice fields, generally at 900–3200 m but locally down to 500 m in Sumatra (Collar and Robson 2017).
It has recently been identified as being highly sensitive to trapping for the Indonesian cagebird trade. Field surveys carried out in montane forests in northern Sumatra failed to find the species where trappers indicate that it previously occurred (Harris et al. 2016). It is the commonest Indonesian laughingthrush to be traded in Pramuka bird market in Jakarta, where 80-100 individuals were seen during visits in 2015, 2016 and 2017, potentially indicating that harvesting of this species from the wild is not sustainable and populations may soon crash (A. Owen in litt. 2017). In peninsular Malaysia it remains one of the commonest birds at its preferred elevation, which is currently little affected by logging due to prioritisation of Malaysia’s Central Forest Spine for large mammal conservation, however it may be affected by climate-related shifts in the future (Ding Li Yong in litt. 2017).
Conservation and research actions underway
It occurs in several protected areas including Taman Negara National Park in peninsular Malaysia and Gunung Leuser National Park in Sumatra.
Conservation and research actions needed.
Enforcement of national law restricting trade to species with quotas and compliance with quotas is required. Research to understand species density responses of passerine birds to trapping.
Text account compilers
Khwaja, N., Martin, R, Butchart, S., Ekstrom, J., Symes, A.
Contributors
Chng, S., Owen, A., Ding Li, Y.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush Pterorhinus mitratus. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/chestnut-capped-laughingthrush-pterorhinus-mitratus on 23/12/2024.
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 23/12/2024.