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Taxonomic note

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.
Dowsett, R. J.; Forbes-Watson, A. D. 1993. Checklist of birds of the Afrotropical and Malagasy regions. Tauraco Press, Li
Sibley, C. G.; Monroe, B. L. 1990. Distribution and taxonomy of birds of the world. Yale University Press, New Haven, USA.

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
-	-	-

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2016	Near Threatened	A2c+3c+4c
2013	Near Threatened	A2c+3c+4c
2012	Near Threatened	B1ab(iii)
2008	Near Threatened	B1a+b(iii)
2004	Near Threatened
2000	Lower Risk/Near Threatened
1994	Lower Risk/Near Threatened
1988	Near Threatened

Migratory status	not a migrant	Forest dependency	does not normally occur in forest
Land-mass type	continent	Average mass	-

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	272,000 km2	medium
Severely fragmented?	no	-

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	2000000 mature individuals	medium	estimated	2001
Population trend	decreasing	-	estimated	2008-2024
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	5.3 years	-	-	-
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation	100%	-	-	-

Population justification: A recent estimate put the total population at c.2 million adults (Maclean 2004, Maclean et al. 2013), roughly equivalent to 3 million individuals in total.

Trend justification: Maclean et al. (2013) estimate that, between 1984–1987 and 1999–2001 the areal extent of papyrus in its range declined by 6.7% from 1,643 to 1,532 km². This species is estimated to have decreased by 20.6% (80% CI: 7.7-42.5%) over three generations, based on a comparison of data from 1984-1987 and 1999-2001. Rates of population decline were estimated by assuming that relationships between density, occurrence and habitat variables derived from 1999–2001 data, were the same in 1984–1987, and assumed a constant geometric annual rate of decline. The population is therefore estimated to be in moderately rapid decline based on estimated losses of papyrus swamp habitat and decreases in local population density (Maclean et al. 2013).

Country/Territory	Presence	Origin	Resident	Breeding visitor	Non-breeding visitor	Passage migrant
Burundi	extant	native	yes
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the	extant	native	yes
Kenya	extant	native	yes
Rwanda	extant	native	yes
Tanzania	extant	native	yes
Uganda	extant	native	yes

Country/Territory	IBA Name
Burundi	Ruvubu National Park
Burundi	Rwihinda Lake Managed Nature Reserve
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the	Virunga National Park
Kenya	Dunga swamp
Kenya	Koguta swamp
Kenya	Kusa swamp
Kenya	Sio Port swamp
Kenya	Yala swamp complex
Rwanda	Akagera National Park
Rwanda	Akanyaru wetlands
Rwanda	Nyabarongo wetlands
Rwanda	Rugezi Marsh
Tanzania	Kagera swamps
Tanzania	Minziro Forest Reserve
Uganda	Ajai Wildlife Reserve
Uganda	Doho Rice Scheme
Uganda	Kibale National Park
Uganda	Kibimba Rice Scheme
Uganda	Kyambura Wildlife Reserve
Uganda	Lake Bisina
Uganda	Lake Mburo National Park
Uganda	Lake Nakuwa
Uganda	Lake Opeta
Uganda	Lutembe Bay
Uganda	Mabamba Bay
Uganda	Mabira Forest Reserve
Uganda	Murchison Falls National Park
Uganda	Nabajjuzi Wetland
Uganda	Nabugabo wetland
Uganda	Nyamuriro swamp
Uganda	Queen Elizabeth National Park and Lake George
Uganda	Sango Bay area
Uganda	Semliki National Park
Uganda	Semliki reserves

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Wetlands (inland)	Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands	major	resident
Altitude	1100 - 1600 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		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
Agriculture & aquaculture	Marine & freshwater aquaculture - Subsistence/artisinal aquaculture	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Negligible declines		Low Impact: 4
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use	Gathering terrestrial plants - Unintentional effects (species is not the target)	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation
Natural system modifications	Dams & water management/use - Abstraction of surface water (unknown use)	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Natural system modifications	Fire & fire suppression - Increase in fire frequency/intensity	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Natural system modifications	Other ecosystem modifications	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Negligible declines		Low Impact: 4
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Pollution	Agricultural & forestry effluents - Nutrient loads	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Negligible declines		Low Impact: 4
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Papyrus Gonolek Laniarius mufumbiri. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/papyrus-gonolek-laniarius-mufumbiri 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.