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

Justification of Red List category
This species is believed to have a small population which is estimated to be declining based on observed reductions in suitable habitat. Although it is little known, the paucity of records and its lowland forest requirements indicate that it is likely to be threatened. It is therefore classified as Vulnerable.

Population justification
The population has been precautionarily estimated as 250-1,000 mature individuals on New Britain, and smaller numbers on Umboi (Davis and Dutson in prep.).

Trend justification
Buchanan et al. (2008) calculated the rate of forest loss within the species's range on New Britain as  about 19% over three generations (15 years). Less detailed analysis is available for later years but about 2.2% of forest was lost plus 5.2% degraded across New Britain between 2002 and 2014 (Bryan and Shearman 2015). It is inferred that forest loss and degradation has slowed but the species’ rate of decline is precautionary retained at the rate measured by Buchanan et al. (2008) pending better data.

Accipiter luteoschistaceus is endemic to New Britain and Umboi with unconfirmed records from New Ireland (probably referring to New Britain Sparrowhawk A. brachyurus [Dutson 2011]) in Papua New Guinea (Finch and McKean 1987, Debus 1992, Hornbuckle 1999a, T. Palliser in litt. 1999). It is only known from c.11 specimens and a handful of recent records, but it is likely to have been overlooked as it appears to be unobtrusive and can be difficult to identify due to confusion with A. hiogaster (Diamond 1976, Coates 1985, K. D. Bishop in litt. 1994, Clay 1994, J. Pilgrim in litt. 1999, Dutson 2011).

It has been recorded from a number of forest habitats including open forest and cocoa plantations, but is presumed to be a species of tall forest (Clay 1994, I. Burrows verbally 1999). It is greatly outnumbered by Variable Goshawk A. hiogaster in all degraded and artificial habitats. Records range to 700 m where it is probably replaced by A. hiogaster and New Britain Goshawk A. princeps (Dutson 2011). The only documented food items come from a specimen with a 15 cm lizard in its stomach (Gilliard and Lecroy 1967).

Although its habitat requirements are poorly known, this lowland species is probably dependent on primary forest where A. hiogaster is absent. Populations are probably threatened by the extensive logging of lowland and hill forests throughout its range. New Britain alone accounted for approximately half of Papua New Guinea's timber exports (Buchanan et al. 2008). Extensive areas of lowland forest on New Britain have been cleared for conversion to oil palm plantations but this has slowed as few remain suitable for new plantations. Forest is also being slowly degraded and lost to subsistence gardens by the growing local population.

Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix II. No conservation measures are known to have been taken.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Determine best survey techniques. Survey to assess population size by investigating: its status in logged forest; its altitudinal range; and its abundance at different elevations. Search for presence in northern New Ireland. Employ local hunters to find nests for intensive observation. Map remaining forest, logging concessions, oil palm plantations and proposed expansion areas, and current and proposed mining operations across New Britain and New Ireland. Research identification through examination of museum specimens. Build conservation capacity within the region as a precursor to properly assessing the measures needed to safeguard forest. These may include: promoting uptake of environmental certification schemes for products sold in overseas markets; working with extractive industries to reduce and offset the impacts of forest exploitation; community-based forest management; developing national capacity to effectively engage in international conventions and meet obligations, particularly under the Convention on Biological Diversity; engage in forest protection measures under the REDD+ initiative.

30-38 cm. Medium-sized, pied forest hawk. Adults slaty-grey above and off-white below, with orange bare parts. Juveniles have dusky crowns and are heavily barred black on tawny upperparts and white underparts. Similar spp. New Britain Sparrowhawk A. brachyurus has an (often indistinct) rufous hind collar and paler yellow cere and legs. Other juvenile Accipiters in the Bismarcks are less heavily barred and Black Honey-buzzard Henicopernis infuscatus is much larger. Voice Unknown. Hints Occasionally seen in lowland forests around Kimbe.

Text account compilers
Dutson, G., Derhé, M., Mahood, S., O'Brien, A., Benstead, P., Stattersfield, A., North, A.

Contributors
Bishop, K.D., Bird, J., Pilgrim, J., Dutson, G., Palliser, T., Burrows, I.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Slaty-backed Goshawk Accipiter luteoschistaceus. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/slaty-backed-goshawk-accipiter-luteoschistaceus on 23/11/2024.
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 23/11/2024.