Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
Although this species may have a small range, it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is very large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Population justification
Line transects were surveyed for the species in lowland forest and mahogany plantations at Colo-I-Suva (Viti Levu) in 2003. If the species occurs at similar densities elsewhere on Viti Levu, extrapolation would give a total population of 130,000 calling birds for the whole island (D. Jackson in litt. 2005). Two other surveys, based on triangulated point-counts and estimates of territory size respectively, gave extrapolated figures of 25,000 pairs and 50,000 pairs for Viti Levu (White in litt. 2005).
Trend justification
A slow to moderate and on-going population decline is suspected, based on continuing habitat loss, although the species shows a degree of tolerance of degraded forest.
This species is endemic to Viti Levu, Fiji.
The main threat to this species comes from continuing loss and deterioration of its mature forest habitat. Although industrial logging has ceased on Viti Levu, forests there are being slowly degraded by logging for domestic use and agricultural expansion, with only c.50% of the island remaining forested (Watling 2000).
Conservation Actions Underway
The species is protected under Fijian law. It occurs in nearly all protected areas with good forest.Conservation Actions Proposed
•Develop a monitoring programme for the forest birds of the Fiji Islands as declines in population and the initiation of threatening processes could well be going unnoticed (SPREP 2000). •Develop in-country training in survey techniques (SPREP 2000). •Initiate management in gazetted nature reserves (D. Watling in litt. 2000). •Assess population densities in various forest-types. •Advocate the creation of community-based forest reserves.
27 cm. Large, olive-green honeyeater, typically shy and retiring. Drab, olive-green plumage with slender, slightly down-curved bill. Subspecies brunneirostris has brown bill and olive legs, viridis has yellow bill and legs. Similar spp. Wattled Honeyeater Foulehaio carunculata is similarly drab but much smaller, has dark bare parts and yellow-and-black moustachial wattle. Voice Ringing keekow, usually run together, which on Viti Levu provides a loud and characteristic cacophony that reverberates through the forest. Much less vocal on other islands.
Text account compilers
O'Brien, A., Taylor, J. & Temple, H.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Giant Honeyeater Gymnomyza brunneirostris. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/giant-honeyeater-gymnomyza-brunneirostris 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.