• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

Justification of Red List category
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km² combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Population justification
The global population size of this species has not been quantified, although in Indonesia (which, in terms of area, represents the bulk of its range), it is described as 'uncommon' (Eaton et al. 2021). In frequently-observed parts of its range (especially Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah), this species is evidently locally common (eBird 2023), but is tied to forest. Although no reliable density has been calculated for C. rufidorsa, its range contains several tens of thousands of km² of suitable habitat, thus even accounting for occupancy and habitat niche, its global population size is likely to be relatively large.

Trend justification
Habitat loss is the principal threat to this species, especially in the Greater Sundas. Across its range, forest cover has reduced by 12-13% over the past ten years (2013-2023) (Global Forest Watch 2023, based on data from Hansen et al. [2013] and methods disclosed therein). As a forest-dependent species, this is thought to have broadly equivalent impacts on the species' population size, noting also that it (1) is tolerant of some degradation; but (2) that it may also be impacted by habitat fragmentation. Equating for the introduction of these two uncertainties, the population is suspected of having declined by 10-19% in the last ten years. Similar rates of forest loss are suspected to occur in the short-term future, although these may begin to slow in the mid-term as a greater proportion of the species' range lies within protected areas. Moreover, this species' tolerance of secondary forests suggest that declines may be at least partially reversible, if an increasing area within its range can be adequately protected.

Unlike its former conspecific (C. rufidorsa), this species is strictly resident, chiefly in the Greater and Lesser Sundaic region. Occurs from Tenasserim, Myanmar, south through Peninsular Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia, through Sumatra, Indonesia (including the West Sumatran islands), Java and Nusa Tenggara (Lesser Sundas) east to as far as Alor (and south to Sumba). Widespread on Borneo, including Sabah, Sarawak, Kalimantan and Brunei Darussalam and extents north to Palawan and Mindoro, in the Philippines. Status in Singapore is unclear, with no confirmed record since 1949 until November 2019, followed by another in July 2020 (eBird 2023). May therefore be resident (but scarce), or an occasional visitor from dispersal of Malay Peninsula birds.

Occurs in primary and secondary forest, often far from water. Also occasionally mangroves and swamp forests (Trainor et al. 2012, Eaton et al. 2021). Typically occurs below c.1,200 m.

The only identified threat to this species is habitat loss and degradation. Forest cover loss in this species' range is thought to have caused population reductions of 10-19% over the past ten years, with most of these losses having been caused by timber extraction, conversion of land to plantations, and more small-scale agricultural encroachment.

Conservation Actions Underway
Occurs in numerous protected areas across its range, but otherwise is not subject to specific conservation action.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Continue to monitor habitat trends using remote sensing data. Advocate for the preservation of more lowland forest blocks throughout its range, particularly in the Greater Sundas, to protect this and other Sundaic species from declines.

Text account compilers
Berryman, A.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Rufous-backed Dwarf-kingfisher Ceyx rufidorsa. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/rufous-backed-dwarf-kingfisher-ceyx-rufidorsa on 27/12/2024.
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 27/12/2024.