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

Justification of Red List category
This species has a large range in the remote and largely inaccessible alpine habitats of New Guinea. Here its population is suspected to be relatively large and there is no evidence (or reason to suspect) it is declining. Accordingly, it is listed as Least Concern.

Population justification
The population size of this species has not been quantified. Although it is described as uncommon (Pratt and Beehler 2015), the species has naturally low detectability and there is more than 2,500 km² of suitable habitat in its range. With much of this habitat inaccessible and no evidence or plausible reason for it not to be occurring at carrying capacity, the population is suspected to number in the thousands, if not tens of thousands.

Trend justification
There are no data available on population trends. Most observations of this species are made in the accessible environs of Lake Habbema, where there is no evidence it is becoming more difficult to see (J. Bergmark pers. comm. 2022). In the absence of other threats thought capable of causing population declines, the population is therefore suspected to be stable.

The species is endemic to Papua, Indonesia, where it is recorded in alpine grasslands and shrublands of the high plateaus north of the summits of the Western Range and the western sector (at least) of the Border Range (Beehler and Pratt 2016).

It inhabits high grassland plateaux and the edge of heavy alpine scrub with trees, between c.3,200 and 4,200 m.

Its relatively inaccessible habitats are generally not threatened. Although there are reports of some hunting in accessible areas (N. Bostock in litt. 1993, D. Gibbs in litt. 2000, Davies 2008), there is little evidence that the scale of this is likely to be causing population reductions, especially considering the inaccessibility of the vast majority of the species' range. As an alpine species, climate change may impact this species in the future.

Conservation Actions Underway
None is known.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Survey to assess the species' population size.

Text account compilers
Berryman, A.

Contributors
Benstead, P., Bergmark, J., Bishop, K.D., Bostock, N., Diamond, J.M., Gibbs, D., Mahood, S., O'Brien, A., Taylor, J., van Balen, S. & van Beirs, M.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Snow Mountain Quail Anurophasis monorthonyx. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/snow-mountain-quail-anurophasis-monorthonyx on 23/12/2024.
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 23/12/2024.