• 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
-	C2a(i,ii)	C2a(i,ii); D1

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2022	Endangered	C2a(ii)
2016	Endangered	C2a(i,ii)
2013	Endangered	C2a(i,ii)
2012	Vulnerable	D1
2008	Vulnerable	D1
2004	Vulnerable
2000	Vulnerable
1996	Vulnerable
1994	Vulnerable
1988	Threatened

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

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	2,400 km2	medium
Severely fragmented?	no	-

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	250-999 mature individuals	poor	estimated	2022
Population trend	decreasing	poor	inferred	2016-2030
Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	1-9%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	1-9%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	1-9%	-	-	-
Generation length	4.5 years	-	-	-
Number of subpopulations	1	-	-	-
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation	100%	-	-	-

Population justification: In 1990 the population was estimated to number c.1,000 mature individuals based on three calling birds recorded within an area of 3.5 km² around the village of Rossun (Dutson and Newman 1991), although this was considered uncertain in view of inadequate knowledge of the species’ habitat preferences, calling periods and general breeding density and the population size is thought to be much lower (Erritzoe 2020). Based on recent visits to Manus, the species is thought to occur at a density closely matching the 1990 estimate of c.1 calling bird per km² (J. Bergmark in litt. 2022) and although historically widespread, the species is now described as inexplicably rare and localised (Dutson 2011). Assuming therefore that the species occurs only in a proportion of the remaining tree cover extent on Manus (c.1,300 km²; Global Forest Watch 2022, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein) the population is estimated to fall within the band 250-999 mature individuals.

Trend justification: This species is inferred to be undergoing a slow population decline as a result of ongoing forest loss. During eight visits to Manus between 2002 and 2005, the species was found to be absent from areas close to where it had previously been recorded and at most sites individuals were either absent or present at very low densities (A. Mack in litt. 2012). Interviews with local people during these visits also found that many were unfamiliar with the species (A. Mack in litt. 2012), although such interviews should be interpreted with caution. A total of 29 specimens were collected in two months in 1913 (Rothschild and Hartert 1914), suggesting that it has undergone a steep decline in the past. Approximately 2% of forest on Manus was lost and 7% logged between 2002-2014 (Bryan and Shearman 2015). However, the number of individuals around Rossun village may be fairly stable (A. Mack in litt. 2012, G. Dutson in litt. 2013). Within the three generations to 2021, forest loss on Manus was equivalent to c.2-5% (Global Forest Watch 2022, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein), and this is thought to be ongoing. Given that it is intolerant of secondary habitat and absent from several areas where it was recorded in the past five years (J. Bergmark in litt. 2022), a decline is inferred and the species is thought to be declining at a rate at least equal to that of forest loss.

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

Country/Territory	IBA Name

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland	major	resident
Shrubland	Subtropical/Tropical Moist	major	resident
Altitude	0 - 200 m	Occasional altitudinal limits

Threat (level 1)	Threat (level 2)	Impact and Stresses
Biological resource use	Logging & wood harvesting - Unintentional effects: (subsistence/small scale) [harvest]	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Canis familiaris	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Unknown		Unknown
		Stresses Species mortality
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Felis catus	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Unknown		Unknown
		Stresses Species mortality

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Superb Pitta Pitta superba. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/superb-pitta-pitta-superba 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.