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

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.

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
-	-	-

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2023	Near Threatened	A2c+3c+4c
2016	Near Threatened	A2c+3c+4c
2012	Near Threatened	A2c+3c+4c
2008	Near Threatened	A2c; A3c; A4c
2004	Near Threatened
2000	Lower Risk/Near Threatened
1994	Lower Risk/Least Concern
1988	Lower Risk/Least Concern

Migratory status	not a migrant	Forest dependency	medium
Land-mass type	continent shelf island	Average mass	-

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	2,860,000 km2	medium
Severely fragmented?	no	-

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	unknown	-	-	-
Population trend	decreasing	poor	inferred	2016-2026
Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	15-29,20-29%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	15-29,20-29%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	15-29,20-29%	-	-	-
Generation length	2.79 years	-	-	-
Number of subpopulations	3-50	-	-	-
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation	1-89%	-	-	-

Population justification: The global population size has not been quantified but is believed to be large given the range and frequency of records in suitable habitat. It is a forest-dependent species, although it can use degraded forest and secondary growth on poor soil where near forest (Cheke et al. 2001). Within its range, the rate of forest conversion to plantations, primarily oil palm, has been very rapid over the past few decades (per Global Forest Watch 2022). There are recent records from remaining forested areas across the range, however the extent of suitable habitat is now considerably smaller than three generations ago. Where habitat is secure the species continues to be regularly observed (eBird 2022), though observing the species away from protected areas is becoming increasingly difficult. In Thailand, there are few sightings away from Khao Banthao Wildlife Sanctuary, Thara Sawan Waterfall Forest Park and Khao Nam Khang National Park—the population size in Thailand is consequently now thought to be small. Almost all records in Malaysia now come from protected areas or forest concessions, and the population is thought to be declining rapidly in lowland Indonesia, although here (especially in Kalimantan), there are large tracts of suitable habitat remaining. Forest loss is much lower in Brunei, where impacts on the species may be much less severe and much of the forest here is likely to be suitable for this species.

Trend justification: The species is most abundant in intact, poor-soil forest. Consequently the population impact of forest cover loss is expected to be equal to or greater than the rate of loss. In the ten years to 2021, forest cover in this species' range was reduced by 14-18%, depending on the forest cover thresholds set (Global Forest Watch 2022, based on data from Hansen et al. [2013] and methods disclosed therein). This value does not account for the impact of forest degradation, hence the population rate of reduction from habitat loss is likely to be greater than this. Similarly, since the species is most regularly encountered in low-lying forest (eBird 2022), where losses are greater, the overall rate of population reduction is suspected to be equivalent to c.15-29% over the last ten years. This rate is also precautionarily projected over the next ten years, although beyond that rates of loss may slow as the percentage area of forest outside protected areas diminishes.

Country/Territory	Presence	Origin	Resident	Breeding visitor	Non-breeding visitor	Passage migrant
Brunei	extant	native	yes
Indonesia	extant	native	yes
Malaysia	extant	native	yes
Singapore	extant	vagrant
Thailand	extant	native	yes

Country/Territory	IBA Name
Malaysia	Bako-Buntal Bay
Malaysia	Bintang Range
Malaysia	Central Titiwangsa Range
Malaysia	Danum-Linau
Malaysia	Endau-Rompin
Malaysia	Gunung Pueh
Malaysia	Kabili-Sepilok
Malaysia	Klias peninsula
Malaysia	Krau Wildlife Reserve
Malaysia	Lambir Hills National Park
Malaysia	Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary
Malaysia	Maliau Basin Conservation Area
Malaysia	Mulu - Buda Protected Area
Malaysia	Niah National Park
Malaysia	Panti forest
Malaysia	Selangor Heritage Park
Malaysia	Similajau National Park
Malaysia	South-east Pahang peat swamp forest
Malaysia	Taman Negara National Park
Malaysia	Tanjung Datu-Samunsam Protected Area
Thailand	Bala Sector, Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary
Thailand	Chaloem Pra Kiet (Pa Phru to Daeng)
Thailand	Khao Nor Chuchi

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Artificial/Terrestrial	Rural Gardens	suitable	resident
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland	major	resident
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Swamp	major	resident
Altitude	0 - 300 m	Occasional altitudinal limits	(max) 1280 m

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
Biological resource use	Logging & wood harvesting - Unintentional effects: (large scale) [harvest]	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		Minority (<50%)		Negligible declines		Low Impact: 4
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Scarlet-breasted Flowerpecker Prionochilus thoracicus. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/scarlet-breasted-flowerpecker-prionochilus-thoracicus on 22/11/2024.
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 22/11/2024.