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

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
-	-	-

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2023	Near Threatened	C1+2a(i)
2016	Vulnerable	C2a(i)
2012	Vulnerable	C2a(i)
2008	Vulnerable	C2a(i)
2004	Vulnerable
2000	Vulnerable
1996	Vulnerable
1994	Vulnerable
1988	Near Threatened

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

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	45,500 km2	medium
Severely fragmented?	no	-

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	2500-9999 mature individuals	poor	estimated	2023
Population trend	decreasing	poor	inferred	2012-2034
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	7.43 years	-	-	-
Number of subpopulations	3	-	-	-
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation	1-89%	-	-	-

Population justification: Overall the species is poorly known. It is described as widespread but uncommon and sparsely distributed (Dutson 2011, Woxvold and Novera 2021). In a well-studied area at Tirotonga on Isabel, three nests were reportedly about 2 km apart in 1998, however it appeared to be unusually common in this area (G. Dutson pers. obs. 1998) and elsewhere there have been records only of singles or single pairs. Considering this along with the fact that the species has likely declined in line with forest loss within its range, the population size is estimated to fall in the band 2,500 - 10,000 mature individuals.

Trend justification: Forest loss and degradation are inferred to be causing this species to decline at a moderate rate. Remote sensing data (Global Forest Watch 2023, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein) indicate that over the last three generations (22.29 years; Bird et al. 2020) forest loss in this species' range has been equivalent to c.10%, and based on losses in 2017-2021 forest loss has accelerated to an equivalent rate of c.15% within three generations. Three nests were reportedly about 2 km apart in 1998 at Tirotonga (G. Dutson pers. obs. 1998, M. Hafe verbally 1998) and the species appeared to be unusually common in this area (G. Dutson pers. obs. 1998). However, more recently there is seemingly only one pair in the vicinity of Tirotonga (J. Bergmark in litt. 2023), suggesting that the species has declined. There have been very few sightings of the species in the last decade (Woxvold and Novera 2021, J. Bergmark in litt. 2023). In addition to forest loss, the species is possibly also declining through loss of prey which is also hunted by humans (Dutson 2011). The species appears to be highly forest dependent and forest loss is considered to be causing declines at a rate at least equal to that of forest loss; population declines are here placed in the band 10-19% over three generations.

Country/Territory	Presence	Origin	Resident	Breeding visitor	Non-breeding visitor	Passage migrant
Papua New Guinea	extant	native	yes
Solomon Islands	extant	native	yes

Country/Territory	IBA Name

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Artificial/Terrestrial	Subtropical/Tropical Heavily Degraded Former Forest	marginal	resident
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland	major	resident
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane	suitable	resident
Altitude	0 - 2000 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
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

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Fearful Owl Nesasio solomonensis. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/fearful-owl-nesasio-solomonensis on 26/12/2024.
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 26/12/2024.