Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This bulbul is suspected to be declining rapidly owing to ongoing trapping pressure, with evidence for declines supported by a paucity of recent observations of birds considered wild, and not derived from escapes or released individual. It is therefore classified as Vulnerable.
Population justification
The global population size has not been quantified, but the species appears to have become scarce and difficult to find (J. Eaton in litt. 2016; A. Owen in litt. 2016) having only recently been described as common (Fishpool and Tobias 2020). Weeklong ornithological surveys across 27 sites on nine mountains in West-Central Java between 2018 and 2020 for example found the species at just one site; however, surveys targeted montane species and were therefore at the upper limits of this species's elevational range (C. Devenish, A.R. Junaid and S. Marsden in litt. 2020). During the ‘Big Month’ citizen science event moreover (conducted in January 2020 comprising 22,054 checklists) across Java and Bali, the species was recorded in only 51 (0.64%) of the 7,935 tetrads (2 × 2 km squares) visited (T. Squires and S. Marsden in litt. 2020).
Trend justification
The population is suspected to be declining rapidly owing to ongoing trapping pressure, and supported by a paucity of recent observations of birds considered wild, and not derived from escapes or released individuals (Eaton et al. 2015; J. Eaton in litt. 2016; A. Owen in litt. 2016).
The species occurs across lowland areas of Sumatra, Java and Bali, Indonesia. It is deemed common throughout most of its range despite trapping pressures, although is rarer in Bali (Fishpool and Tobias 2020).
Inhabits a range of shrubby habitats and open woodland, including rubber (Hevea) plantations. Avoids tall forest, preferring even highly degraded areas, larger clearings, edges of towns, drier semi-deciduous forest, coastal woodland and mangroves (Fishpool and Tobias 2020).
Large numbers of this species have been observed during market surveys within Indonesia during the past 25 years, without any indication that captive breeding of the species is undertaken to supply the market (Shepherd et al. 2004; Chng et al. 2015; Eaton et al. 2015; S. Chng in litt. 2016). The species was recently assessed as 'Severely Declining' by an expert review process undertaken to identify over-exploited bird species (Harris et al. 2015). Trappers operate throughout the range of the species, with the possible exception of Bali Barat National Park. Past and ongoing habitat loss has greatly reduced the extent of areas that can act as refuges for the maintenance of populations subject to high trapping pressure.
Conservation Actions Underway
The species occurs across several protected areas including Kerinci-Seblat National Park (Sumatra) and Ujung Kulon, Meru Betiri and Baluran National Parks (Java; Fishpool and Tobias 2020).
Conservation Actions Proposed
An assessment of the presence and density of the species at selected locations throughout the range would be of great value.
Text account compilers
Martin, R., Fernando, E.
Contributors
Butchart, S., Chng, S., Devenish, C., Eaton, J., Ekstrom, J., Junaid, A.R., Marsden, S., Owen, A., Squires, T., Sulfani Udin, J. & van Balen, B.S.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Ruby-throated Bulbul Rubigula dispar. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/ruby-throated-bulbul-rubigula-dispar on 22/12/2024.
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 22/12/2024.