• 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. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
-	C2a(i)	C2a(i); D1

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2022	Near Threatened	C2a(i); D1
2016	Endangered	C2a(i)
2012	Endangered	C2a(i)
2008	Endangered	C2a(i)
2004	Endangered
2000	Endangered
1996	Endangered
1994	Endangered
1988	Threatened

Migratory status	not a migrant	Forest dependency	does not normally occur in forest
Land-mass type	shelf island	Average mass	-

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	74,800 km2	medium
Number of locations	3	-
Severely fragmented?	no	-

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	250-999 mature individuals	medium	suspected	1998
Population trend	decreasing	medium	inferred	2016-2026
Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	10-19%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	10-19%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	10-19%	-	-	-
Generation length	2.9 years	-	-	-
Number of subpopulations	3	-	-	-
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation	1-89%	-	-	-

Population justification: There is very little data on the species occurrence from which a population estimate can be derived. Previously, based on the likely small area of remaining habitat (P.B. Taylor in litt. 1999) a provisional population size was given as most likely to fall between 250-999 mature individuals. However, no surveys to generate even rough abundance have been carried out and while it is plausible that the population size is small or very small, this can only be suspected from the available information. The abundance of the species at individual sites is unknown largely due to the secretive nature of the species, but also a lack of targeted survey effort. In addition, there is the potential for suitable habitat to be present at a number of sites additional to those that do have records (Safford and Hawkins 2013). What is currently known is that records come from three areas that are widely separated but all lie within a narrow elevational band in the zone of eastern slope rainforest, which is now highly fragmented itself (Safford and Hawkins 2013). The areas with records are also sites regularly visited by birdwatching groups: systematic or randomised searches of similar habitat in between has not yet taken place. The current, suspected small or very small population size is retained, but there is potential for the true population to be somewhat larger given the limited survey effort to date.

Trend justification: This species's population is inferred to be declining due to ongoing habitat loss owing to transformation of its aquatic habitats by agricultural activities (Kull 2012) and from reports of a recent sudden drop in abundance at a site where the species was previously commonly observed (L.-A. Rene de Roland in litt. 2022). Kull (2012) estimated that between 1950-1994, 60% of wetlands were lost, roughly equating to a loss rate of 19% over 10 years. Wetlands are being degraded through conversion to rice paddies, and while there is some evidence that this species can utilise these habitats (Taylor and van Perlo 1998) almost all records come from wetlands in the vicinity of forest. Assuming that the rate of loss is continuing at the same rate, and that the population declines at a similar rate, then the rate of decline is suspected to fall into the band of 10-19%. Wetland degradation is linked to the expanding population, hence it is likely to continue.

Country/Territory	Presence	Origin	Resident	Breeding visitor	Non-breeding visitor	Passage migrant
Madagascar	extant	native	yes

Country/Territory	IBA Name
Madagascar	Ranomafana National Park and extension
Madagascar	Torotorofotsy Wetlands

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Artificial/Terrestrial	Arable Land	suitable	resident
Shrubland	Subtropical/Tropical Moist	suitable	resident
Wetlands (inland)	Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands	major	resident
Altitude	950 - 1800 m	Occasional altitudinal limits

Threat (level 1)	Threat (level 2)	Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Small-holder farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Climate change & severe weather	Habitat shifting & alteration	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Future		Whole (>90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Climate change & severe weather	Other impacts	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Future		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 4
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Energy production & mining	Mining & quarrying	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Unknown		Unknown
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Slender-billed Flufftail Sarothrura watersi. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/slender-billed-flufftail-sarothrura-watersi 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.