Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species is listed as Least Concern as it is more resilient to the threats of habitat alteration and hunting pressure than once thought, thus the rate of population decline is not suspected to be as rapid as was indicated. As habitat loss and hunting are ongoing threats, the population is suspected to be undergoing a slow to moderate decline; however, this is not thought to approach the threshold for Vulnerable. The species is not thought to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under any of the other criteria.
Population justification
The total population is suspected to number 20,000-49,999 individuals based on a conservative estimate of c.2,000 individuals in Cambodia (F. Goes in litt. 2011) and an estimate of c.5,000 individuals in Thailand.
Trend justification
This species is suspected to be experiencing a slow to moderate population decline owing to continued habitat loss and degradation and on-going hunting pressure.
Lophura diardi is found in Thailand (uncommon to locally common resident, principally in the north-east and south-east, c.5,000 individuals estimated), Laos (widespread and locally abundant, but heavily snared), Cambodia (locally common and widespread) and Vietnam (locally common and widespread in central and southern regions). Its total population size has not been recently estimated, although the population in Cambodia may be conservatively estimated at c.2,000 individuals (F. Goes in litt. 2011). The species is suspected to be undergoing a slow to moderate decline owing to continued habitat loss and hunting pressure.
It occurs in evergreen, semi-evergreen and bamboo forest, secondary growth and scrub, often near roads and tracks through the forest, chiefly in the plains and foothills to 500 m, but occasionally up to 800 m, and perhaps 1,150 m. It seems able to tolerate considerable degradation of its forest habitat. The species occurs in small groups which are presumed to be family parties.
This species is threatened by continuing extensive lowland forest destruction within its range and, perhaps more severely, by hunting and snaring. However, recent evidence suggests that the species may be able to tolerate a higher level of hunting pressure than was previously thought (P. Round in litt. 2006). In Cambodia, the species is still targeted by hunters for food and trade (Samnang Chhum in litt. 2010). Hunting occurs in some protected areas, such as Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam, where hunting pressure with snares is high (S. Mahood in litt. 2011). Evidence suggests that, when caught, this species is commonly consumed by hunters as subsistence during searches for higher value species, although the comparatively rapid local extinction of high value species typically results in the departure of hunters before local populations of L. diardi are decimated, allowing the species to recover (S. Mahood in litt. 2011). Observations from Laos also indicate that the species persists in areas of high hunting pressure, from which other species are lost (W. Duckworth in litt. 2011). Its apparent resilience to hunting pressure may be due to some aspect of the species's behaviour or morphology (J. Pilgrim in litt. 2011). It also persists in degraded and secondary habitat, such as logged forest and areas affected by mining operations (W. Duckworth in litt. 2011), suggesting a high tolerance to habitat alteration and disturbance. In Laos, forest is being lost through conversion to plantations of Eucalyptus, Acacia, rubber, fruiting trees and cassava, for example, and it is unknown whether the species is able to survive in such areas (W. Duckworth in litt. 2011). It is thought to be declining in Cambodia, given current rates of forest loss, and although the majority of the population occurs in protected areas it may still be affected by illegal logging (F. Goes in litt. 2011).
Conservation Actions Underway
The species occurs in a number of protected areas, however they often provide only limited protection against hunting and logging activities (S. Mahood in litt. 2011, F. Goes in litt. 2011).
60-80 cm. Male is a slender grey pheasant with an irridescent green (can appear black) tail. Long red legs and facial skin. Prominent coronal tuft. Female lacks crest, has a rufous mantle and underparts and banded wings and tail. Similar spp. none if seen well.
Text account compilers
Butchart, S., Benstead, P., Bird, J., Taylor, J., Mahood, S.
Contributors
McGowan, P., Samnang, C., Pilgrim, J., Mahood, S., Round, P., Eames, J.C., Praditsup, N., Goes, F.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Siamese Fireback Lophura diardi. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/siamese-fireback-lophura-diardi 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.