NT
Long-billed White-eye Rukia longirostra



Taxonomy

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
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - -

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2023 Near Threatened B1b(iii)+2b(iii)
2016 Near Threatened A2bc;D2
2012 Near Threatened A2bc;D2
2008 Near Threatened A2b,c; D2
2004 Near Threatened
2000 Lower Risk/Near Threatened
1994 Lower Risk/Near Threatened
1988 Threatened
Species attributes

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

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 504 km2 medium
Area of Occupancy (breeding/resident) 504 km2
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size 24000 mature individuals poor estimated 2015
Population trend decreasing poor suspected -
Generation length 2.99 years - - -
Number of subpopulations 1 - - -
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation 100% - - -

Population justification: Spatially explicit habitat models linked to density functions for R. longirostra predicted a contemporary population of 36,123 birds on Pohnpei (Oleiro and Kesler 2015), which is rounded here to 36,100 and equivalent to approximately 24,000 mature individuals.

Trend justification: Surveys in 1994 found significantly fewer individuals than in 1983 in both the lowland and uplands, with nearly 90% of the sightings on c.10% of the land area (Buden 2000). However, results from a comparison between these surveys (Engbring et al. 1990, Buden 2000) and detections from surveys in 2012 indicated a mean change in detection rates of -18% and +359%, respectively (Oleiro and Kesler 2015). Compared to Buden (2000), increasing detection rates were observed at lower elevation zones and a slight decline was observed above 600 m (-7%) (Oleiro and Kesler 2015). Despite this, the species is positively associated with upland old-growth forest (Oleiro 2014) and modelling of 1,000 future landscape scenarios by Oleiro and Kesler (2015) indicated a mean population decline of 3.6% (SD 7%) in R. longirostra populations during the next 100 years, with anthropogenic vegetation changes to undisturbed habitats most likely to drive declines. Global Forest Watch (2022) data are not available for Pohnpei such that estimating a rate of habitat clearance is not possible, but growing of sakau is widespread and currently considered the main cause of the island's upland deforestation (Ellis et al. 2018). Given predicted population declines, ongoing deforestation and increasing demand for sakau (Oleiro and Kesler 2015, Ellis et al. 2018), the species is suspected to be declining at a slow rate.


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
Micronesia, Federated States of extant native yes

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
Micronesia, Federated States of Pohnpei Watershed Forest Reserve

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland suitable resident
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane major resident
Altitude 0 - 800 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Threats & impact
Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & aquaculture Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Scale Unknown/Unrecorded Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Declines Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Climate change & severe weather Habitat shifting & alteration Timing Scope Severity Impact
Future Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Declines Low Impact: 4
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation
Climate change & severe weather Storms & flooding Timing Scope Severity Impact
Future Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Declines Low Impact: 4
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation
Residential & commercial development Tourism & recreation areas Timing Scope Severity Impact
Future Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Declines Low Impact: 3
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Long-billed White-eye Rukia longirostra. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/long-billed-white-eye-rukia-longirostra on 23/11/2024.
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 23/11/2024.