NT
Fawn-breasted Thrush Zoothera machiki



Justification

Justification of Red List category
This species is listed as Near Threatened because it occurs in a moderately small range and its population size as well as the area and quality of habitat are in decline.

Population justification
The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is described as locally common (del Hoyo et al. 2005).

Trend justification
The only threat known for Fawn-breasted Thrush is forest clearance. A remote-sensing study found that forest loss within its range over the last three generations was potentially 2.2% (Tracewski et al. 2016); thus the species may have declined by <10% over the last three generations.

Distribution and population

Zoothera machiki is restricted to the Tanimbar Islands (Yamdena and Larat only) in the Banda Sea, Indonesia. Previously known from just three specimens, in the past 15 years the species has been found to be locally common.

Ecology

The species inhabits forest and scrub. It shows a preference for primary forest, but occasionally uses secondary scrub, and sometimes concentrates in recently burned areas. It forages on the ground, but it is not shy and can be seen in the morning along tracks and watercourses.

Threats

Logging in the south of Yamdena has continued apace since 1992 and is presumably causing a decline in the population of this species.

Conservation actions

Conservation Actions Underway

None are known.

Conservation Actions Proposed

Protect areas of lowland forest within the species's range. Enforce restrictions on hunting and logging within such protected areas. Determine its habitat association and generate density estimates to inform a revised population estimate for the species. Estimate population trends by assessing rates of forest loss using satellite images and remotes sensing.

Acknowledgements

Text account compilers
Benstead, P., Hermes, C., Bird, J., Khwaja, N.


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Fawn-breasted Thrush Zoothera machiki. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/fawn-breasted-thrush-zoothera-machiki on 22/11/2024.
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 22/11/2024.