Data Zone
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.
| Critically Endangered | Endangered | Vulnerable |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | C2a(i) |
| Year | Category | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Vulnerable | C2a(i) |
| 2016 | Near Threatened | C2a(i) |
| 2012 | Near Threatened | C2a(i) |
| 2008 | Near Threatened | C2a(i) |
| 2005 | Near Threatened | |
| 2004 | Vulnerable | |
| 2000 | Vulnerable | |
| 1996 | Vulnerable | |
| 1994 | Vulnerable | |
| 1988 | Threatened |
| Migratory status | not a migrant | Forest dependency | high |
| Land-mass type |
continent |
Average mass | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) | 854,000 km2 | medium |
| Severely fragmented? | no | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population size | 2500-9999, 7500 mature individuals | medium | estimated | 2022 |
| Population trend | decreasing | poor | inferred | 2012-2030 |
| 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 | 5.85 years | - | - | - |
| Number of subpopulations | 2-100,50-100 | - | - | - |
| Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation | 1-89% | - | - | - |
Population justification: Estimating the population size of this species is difficult due to the inaccessibility of much of its range. The population of nominate humiae was previously suspected to number only 1,000 birds (McGowan and Garson 1995), however based on surveys covering Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram, Choudhury (2002) estimated the population in India was likely to be c.4,000 individuals. A further c.6,000 individuals were thought to occur in north and east Myanmar (G. Gale and A. Iamsiri in litt. 2005). The population in China is unknown but based on densities at some key sites (see Lu Taichun 1991, Li Xiangtao 1996) the population probably numbers a further 4,000-5,000. The population in north-west Thailand is likely to be small and probably numbers fewer than 500 birds (BirdLife International 2001). Combining these estimates, the number of individuals is likely to be no more than c.15,000 birds, or c.10,000 mature individuals. However, the majority of these estimates were made 2000-2005 and the population has plausibly declined by 20-29% since then (see Population Trend). Consequently, the population estimate is placed in the band 2,500-9,999 mature individuals, with a best estimate of approximately 7,500.
Trend justification: Inferred to be declining due to forest loss and compounding hunting pressures. Recent data indicate that forest loss in this species' range has been moderately rapid. Including only patches >40 km2 in their computational analysis, Savini et al. (2021) estimated a c.19% contraction in suitable habitat between 2000 and 2018, while Global Forest Watch (2022) indicate similar losses of c.17-20% forest loss over three generations (c.18 years; Bird et al. 2020) between 2002 and 2021. This species is largely forest dependent and forest cover losses are thought to be indicative of equivalent reductions in population size while also increasing the accessibility to hunters of the remaining evergreen forest. Hunting is considered to be a key threat to this species, having disappeared from areas of suitable habitat where it lies in close proximity to human habitation. Only c.2% of this species' range is in protected areas (Savini et al. 2021) and consequently both habitat loss and hunting are predicted to continue. The ongoing rate of decline is therefore suspected to be 20-29% over three generations.
| Country/Territory | Presence | Origin | Resident | Breeding visitor | Non-breeding visitor | Passage migrant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| China (mainland) | extant | native | yes | |||
| India | extant | native | yes | |||
| Myanmar | extant | native | yes | |||
| Thailand | extant | native | yes |
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forest | Subtropical/Tropical Dry | major | resident |
| Forest | Temperate | major | resident |
| Shrubland | Subtropical/Tropical Dry | suitable | non-breeding |
| Shrubland | Temperate | suitable | non-breeding |
| Altitude | 700 - 2800 m | Occasional altitudinal limits |
| Threat (level 1) | Threat (level 2) | Impact and Stresses | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Agro-industry farming | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Shifting agriculture | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
|||||||||
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Small-holder farming | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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| Agriculture & aquaculture | Wood & pulp plantations - Scale Unknown/Unrecorded | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
|||||||||
| Biological resource use | Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target) | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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| Residential & commercial development | Commercial & industrial areas | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
|||||||||
| Purpose | Scale |
|---|---|
| Food - human | subsistence, national, international |
| Pets/display animals, horticulture | international |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Mrs Hume's Pheasant Syrmaticus humiae. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/mrs-humes-pheasant-syrmaticus-humiae 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.