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

Taxonomic note

Hydrornis irena (del Hoyo and Collar 2016) was previously listed as Pitta irena, following a split of P. guajana into P. guajana, P. irena and P. schwaneri, by the BirdLife Taxonomic Working Group on the basis of many strong plumage differences, some morphometric differences in guajana, and modest vocal differences, as noted by Rheindt & Eaton (2010).

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.
Rheindt, F. E.; Eaton, J. A. 2010. Biological species limits in the Banded Pitta Pita guajana. Forktail: 86-91.

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
-	-	-

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2022	Near Threatened	A2cd+3cd+4cd
2016	Near Threatened	A2cd+3cd+4cd
2012	Near Threatened	A2cd+3cd+4cd
2011	Near Threatened	A2c,d; A3c,d; A4c,d
2008	Not Recognised
2004	Not Recognised
2000	Not Recognised
1994	Not Recognised
1988	Not Recognised

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

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	950,000 km2	good
Severely fragmented?	no	-

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	unknown	-	-	-
Population trend	decreasing	poor	suspected	2016-2028
Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	20-29%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	20-29%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	20-29%	-	-	-
Generation length	3.85 years	-	-	-

Population justification: The population has not been quantified, although the species is typically described as uncommon or scarce (Wells 2007, Eaton et al. 2016). Round and Treesucon (1986) estimated a density of 10 territories in 1.6 km², equivalent to c.12-13 mature individuals/km², although the species appears to be more common in the northern half of the Thai-Malay Peninsula than in the southern half or on Sumatra (Wells 2007). Although no global population estimate has been calculated therefore, it is considered highly unlikely that the species has a population size that meets or approaches the threshold (<10,000 mature individuals) for listing as threatened.

Trend justification: The population is suspected to be declining because of forest loss throughout its range. Over the past three generations (11.5 years; Bird et al. 2020), forest loss in this species' range has been equivalent to 21-24% (Global Forest Watch 2022, using data from Hansen et al. [2013] and methods disclosed therein). Because this rate was similar between 2016 and 2020, with little indication that it will slow in the future, the same rate is projected over the next three generations. As a forest-dependent species, the population is suspected to be declining at a rate broadly similar to that of forest loss. There may be some additive impact of trade on this species, although it is currently thought to be <5% over three generations (Symes et al. 2018). Combining the impacts of forest loss and trade, Symes et al. (2018) reached a similar conclusion, suggesting that in Indonesia the species had declined, and was likely to continue to decline, at a rate exceeding 20% over three generations. Overall therefore, the species is suspected of declining at an ongoing rate of 20-29% over three generations.

Country/Territory	Presence	Origin	Resident	Breeding visitor	Non-breeding visitor	Passage migrant
Indonesia	extant	native	yes
Malaysia	extant	native	yes
Thailand	extant	native	yes

Country/Territory	IBA Name
Malaysia	Belum-Temenggor
Malaysia	Endau-Rompin
Malaysia	Krau Wildlife Reserve
Malaysia	Nakawan Range
Malaysia	Panti forest
Malaysia	Taman Negara National Park
Malaysia	Ulu Muda
Thailand	Bala Sector, Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary
Thailand	Hala Sector, Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary and Bang Lang National Park
Thailand	Khao Banthad
Thailand	Khao Luang
Thailand	Khao Nor Chuchi

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 - 600 m	Occasional altitudinal limits	(max) 1500 m

Threat (level 1)	Threat (level 2)	Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Agro-industry farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Small-holder farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use	Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target)	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality
Biological resource use	Logging & wood harvesting - Unintentional effects: (large scale) [harvest]	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use	Logging & wood harvesting - Unintentional effects: (subsistence/small scale) [harvest]	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation
Natural system modifications	Fire & fire suppression - Increase in fire frequency/intensity	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Past, Likely to Return		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Past Impact
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Malay Banded Pitta Hydrornis irena. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/malay-banded-pitta-hydrornis-irena on 27/12/2024.
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 27/12/2024.