NT
Nilgiri Chilappan Montecincla cachinnans



Taxonomy

Taxonomic note

Trochalopteron fairbanki, T. meridionale, T. jerdoni and T. cachinnans have been moved to the new genus Montecincla after they were found to be sister to a clade composed of Heterophasia, Minla, Actinodura, Leiothrix, Liocichla and Crocias (Robin et al. 2017). They have also received new common names, and are listed as Palani Chilappan Montecincla fairbanki, Ashambu Chilappan M. meridionalis, Banasura Chilappan M. jerdoni and Nilgiri Chilappan M. cachinnans.

T. fairbanki 
and T. meridionale (del Hoyo and Collar 2016) were previously lumped as Strophocincla fairbanki following Rasmussen and Anderton (2005).

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.
Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International. 2019. Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 4. Available at: https://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v4_Dec19.zip.
Robin, V. V., Vishnudas, C. K., Gupta, P., Rheindt, F. E., Hooper, D. M., Ramakrishnan, U., & Reddy, S. 2017. Two new genera of songbirds represent endemic radiations from the Shola Sky Islands of the Western Ghats, India. BMC evolutionary biology, 17(1): 31.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - -

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2024 Near Threatened B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
2016 Endangered B1ab(ii,iii,v)
2012 Not Recognised
2008 Not Recognised
2004 Not Recognised
2000 Not Recognised
1994 Not Recognised
1988 Not Recognised
Species attributes

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

Estimate Data quality
Area of Occupancy (breeding/resident) 1,600 km2
Number of locations 11-100 -
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size unknown - - -
Population trend decreasing poor suspected -
Generation length 6.05 years - - -

Population justification: The global population size of this species has not been quantified. Although it has a localised and scattered distribution in the Western Ghats, occurring only on the upper plateau of the Nilgiri Hills in north-west Tamil Nadu and the western cliffs of adjacent Kerala (Zarri et al. 2008, Collar et al. 2020, eBird 2023, SoIB 2023), within this it is evidently common and among the most frequently encountered species within its range (eBird 2023).

Trend justification: Presumably much declined from historical baselines given the significant removal of habitat from within its range (see Reddy et al. [2016] for summary of forest cover changes in the Western Ghats between 1920 and 2013). There are no monitoring data from which to derive a current trend for this species, although it is precautionarily suspected to be declining, albeit at a slow rate. Habitat loss and degradation has been slow over the past decade (2013–2023) according to remote sensing data (Global Forest Watch 2023, based on data from Hansen et al. [2013] and methods disclosed therein), and this species is evidently tolerant of relatively severe habitat modifications, occurring also in heavily degraded forests and wooded gardens (Collar et al. 2020, eBird 2023).


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
India extant native yes

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
India Avalanche (Nilgiri)
India Bison Swamp (Nilgiri)
India Cairn Hill Reserve Forest (Nilgiri)
India Governor's Shola (Nilgiri)
India Kemmangundi and Bababudan Hills
India Kudremukh National Park
India Longwood Shola - Kothagiri
India Mukurthi National Park (Nilgiris)
India Muthikulam-Siruvani Reserve Forest
India Naduvattam
India Silent Valley National Park
India Thaishola

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Artificial/Terrestrial Plantations marginal resident
Artificial/Terrestrial Rural Gardens marginal resident
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane major resident
Shrubland Subtropical/Tropical High Altitude suitable resident
Altitude 1600 - 2600 m Occasional altitudinal limits (min) 1400 m

Threats & impact
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 Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Declines Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Agriculture & aquaculture Wood & pulp plantations - Agro-industry plantations 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%) Unknown Unknown
Stresses
Indirect ecosystem effects, Ecosystem degradation
Natural system modifications Dams & water management/use - Large dams Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Low Impact: 4
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation
Pollution Agricultural & forestry effluents - Herbicides and pesticides Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Unknown Unknown
Stresses
Species mortality
Residential & commercial development Housing & urban areas Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Declines Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Nilgiri Chilappan Montecincla cachinnans. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/nilgiri-chilappan-montecincla-cachinnans on 14/12/2024.
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 14/12/2024.