• 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
2024	Least Concern
2016	Near Threatened	A2c+3c+4c;C2a(i)
2012	Near Threatened	A2c+3c+4c;C2a(i)
2008	Near Threatened	A2c; A3c; A4c; C2a(i)
2004	Near Threatened
2000	Lower Risk/Near Threatened
1994	Lower Risk/Near Threatened
1988	Threatened

Migratory status	not a migrant	Forest dependency	high
Land-mass type		Average mass	-

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	38,300 km2	medium
Severely fragmented?	no	-

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	unknown	-	-	-
Population trend	decreasing	poor	suspected	2017-2027
Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	1-15%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	1-15%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	1-15%	-	-	-
Generation length	2.94 years	-	-	-
Number of subpopulations	1	-	-	-
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation	100%	-	-	-

Population justification: The population size of this species has not been quantified, but it is described as rare/uncommon and local (Eaton et al. 2021, J. Pilgrim in litt. 2024). Citizen science data (eBird 2023, C. Trainor in litt. 2024) suggest that it continues to be observed regularly where suitable habitat has been surveyed, particularly in Timor-Leste where this is more extensive.

Trend justification: This species appears to favour closed-canopy forest and is precautionarily suspected to be in decline as a result of habitat loss and degradation. Forest cover extent in this species' range reduced by c. 4-5% overall in the ten years to 2022 (Global Forest Watch 2023, based on data from Hansen et al. [2013] and methods disclosed therein). The species is described as particularly uncommon and its habitat restrictions are not well understood (J. Pilgrim in litt. 2024). Declines are therefore tentatively placed in a wider band of 1-15% in ten years and this is suspected to continue at the same rate in the future.

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

Country/Territory	IBA Name
Indonesia	Bipolo
Indonesia	Buat - Soe
Indonesia	Camplong
Indonesia	Gunung Mutis
Indonesia	Gunung Timau
Indonesia	Kateri - Maubesi
Indonesia	Oenasi
Timor-Leste	Lore
Timor-Leste	Monte Diatuto
Timor-Leste	Monte Mak Fahik - Sarim
Timor-Leste	Mount Paitchau and Lake Iralalaro
Timor-Leste	Tilomar

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland	major	resident
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane	suitable	resident
Savanna	Dry	suitable	resident
Altitude	0 - 1300 m	Occasional altitudinal limits

Threat (level 1)	Threat (level 2)	Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Agro-industry farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Shifting agriculture	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		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	Livestock farming & ranching - Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use	Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target)	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Unknown		Unknown		Unknown
		Stresses Species mortality
Biological resource use	Logging & wood harvesting - Unintentional effects: (large scale) [harvest]	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: (subsistence/small scale) [harvest]	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Energy production & mining	Mining & quarrying	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Spot-breasted White-eye Heleia muelleri. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/spot-breasted-white-eye-heleia-muelleri 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.