• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Range map
• Resources

Justification of Red List category
This species has a restricted range and the area and quality of its habitat are undergoing a continuing decline as a result of ongoing forest loss and degradation. It is therefore assessed as Near Threatened.

Population justification
This species is poorly known and the population size has not been quantified. It was previously known only from specimens collected by Albert S. Meek in 1898 and a reported sighting of one individual in December 2014 during four full days on the island (W. Goulding in litt. 2016, del Hoyo et al. 2020). However, both sexes of the species were recorded in 2019 near Yonga Bay, not far from the 2014 sighting, suggesting they are not overly uncommon (W. Goulding in litt. 2020).

Trend justification
Although the species is poorly known, it is precautionarily suspected to be declining slowly owing to ongoing forest loss within its range. In the three generations (12.3 years; Bird et al. 2020) to 2021, remote sensing data indicate that 3-5% of forest was lost in this species' range (Global Forest Watch 2022, using data from Hansen et al. [2013] and methods disclosed therein) and this may accelerate slightly (to a rate equivalent to 4-6% over three generations) in the future based on losses in 2016-2021. Population declines are suspected to be roughly equivalent to the rate of tree cover loss. The rate of population decline is therefore placed here in the range 1-9% in three generations.

This species is endemic to Rossel Island in the Louisiade Archipelago, Papua New Guinea.

The species is very little-known, but it is probably restricted to forest and forest edge habitats, like other members of the E. tenuirostre species group; the 2014 observation was made in primary forest near gardens (del Hoyo et al. 2020).

The island retains significant forest cover although small-scale clearance is occurring in lowland areas. Remote sensing data indicate that forest loss is ongoing within this species' range (Global Forest Watch 2022, using data from Hansen et al. [2013] and methods disclosed therein).

Conservation Actions Underway
No targeted conservation actions are known for this species.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Survey potentially suitable habitat on Rossel. Determine the extent of habitat degradation on Rossel. Study its ecological requirements, tolerance of habitat loss and degradation.

Text account compilers
Vine, J.

Contributors
Goulding, W.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Species factsheet: Rossel Cicadabird Edolisoma rostratum. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/rossel-cicadabird-edolisoma-rostratum on 10/01/2025.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2025) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 10/01/2025.