Current view: Data table and detailed info
Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A., Fishpool, L.D.C., Boesman, P. and Kirwan, G.M. 2016. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 2: Passerines. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Red List history
| Migratory status |
not a migrant |
Forest dependency |
medium |
| Land-mass type |
|
Average mass |
- |
Population justification: The population size is unknown, but the species is described as scarce. Subspecies C. s. zosterops had previously been described as common where habitat remains (Wells 2016), but currently the evidence suggests that birds are being trapped throughout the range and have either disappeared or become very rare at many sites throughout Indonesia and now Peninsular Malaysia as well (Eaton et al. 2015, J. Eaton in litt. 2016, Bas van Balen in litt. 2016).
Trend justification: Evidence suggests that it is being trapped throughout the range and has either disappeared or become very rare at many sites throughout Indonesia and Peninsular Malaysia (Eaton et al. 2015, J. Eaton in litt. 2016, Bas van Balen in litt. 2016), hence a continuing decline is inferred. The population is suspected to be declining at a rapid to very rapid rate due to tremendous levels of trapping to supply the cage bird trade. This species was present at very low numbers in the markets at the turn of the century, with none recorded in Medan in 1997 and 1998 then 110 observed in the following three years (Shepherd 2006). Numbers slowly increased with an annual number traded through the markets in Medan estimated at 842 birds during 2012-2013 (Harris et al. 2015). Since then however, the species has suddenly come into fashion (Chng et al. 2017, Eaton et al. 2015), and right now vast numbers are being traded. J. Eaton in litt. (2016) states that 5,000 individuals per month are currently being imported from Sarawak into Kalimantan. Chng et al. (2017) also report a dealer trading 6,000 individuals from Malaysian Borneo to Kalimantan. In Kalimantan it was stated by shop owners to be the species in highest demand, hardest to find (supply) and to be increasing most rapidly in price (A. Miller in litt. 2016), clearly indicating that a species that should be abundant may be close to extinction in West Kalimantan (Chng et al. 2017). In west Java, the cost of an individual in 2014 was US$ 44 (Chng et al. 2015); in September 2016 one was priced at US$ 99 (Chng et al. 2017). Such a price rise while supply (numbers counted in markets) is still high is a strong indication of an over-exploited species suffering declines (Harris et al. 2015). Expert opinion from the IUCN SSC Asian Songbird Trade Specialist Group (ASTSG in litt. 2018) considers that the current suspected rate of decline in the species exceeds 50% and, in the absence of any expectation of a reduction in market demand or restriction on trapping activity, is expected to continue at this very rapid rate. Symes et al. (2018) used expert opinion on desirability and estimates of the degree of accessibility of the range to trapping to estimate a future population decline of 55% due to trapping over the next three generations, and also estimated rates of deforestation within the range to be 14% over the past three generations, a rate that was projected to continue into the future.
Country/territory distribution
Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Greater Green Leafbird Chloropsis sonnerati. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/greater-green-leafbird-chloropsis-sonnerati 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.
