• 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
2023	Least Concern
2016	Near Threatened	A2c+3c+4c;C1+2a(i)
2012	Near Threatened	A2c+3c+4c;C1+2a(i)
2008	Near Threatened	A2c; A3c; A4c; C1; C2a(i)
2004	Near Threatened
2000	Lower Risk/Near Threatened
1996	Vulnerable
1994	Vulnerable
1988	Threatened

Migratory status	altitudinal migrant	Forest dependency	high
Land-mass type	continent	Average mass	-

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	409,000 km2	medium
Severely fragmented?	no	-

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	unknown	-	-	-
Population trend	decreasing	poor	suspected	2016-2026
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	2.13 years	-	-	-

Population justification: The population size of this species has not been quantified, but it is described as locally common and eBird (2023) indicate that it is often frequently encountered in relatively large numbers throughout its range. Given the area of forest within its range totals c.25,000 km² (per Global Forest Watch 2023), it is unlikely to have a small population, even if only a small percentage of this is occupied.

Trend justification: The only identified threat to this species is habitat degradation and clearance, which has been minimal in the last ten years. Between 2011 and 2021, forest extent (>50% canopy cover) reduced by only c.2% (Global Forest Watch 2022, based on data from Hansen et al. [2013] and methods disclosed therein), and there is little indication that this rate will accelerate in the future. Menon et al. (2009) considered that the species might lose 40-50% of habitat to 2055 based on climate change impacts. However, this ecological niche modelling approach does not address uncertainties in the adaptability and plasticity of this species' ecology and it is treated with caution in the absence of monitoring data. In any instance, the overall rate of decline in this species is not thought to exceed 10% over ten years, and is suspected here to be declining at an ongoing rate of 1-9%.

Country/Territory	Presence	Origin	Resident	Breeding visitor	Non-breeding visitor	Passage migrant
China (mainland)	extant	native	yes
India	extant	native	yes
Myanmar	possibly extant	native	yes

Country/Territory	IBA Name
China (mainland)	Ailaoshan
China (mainland)	Baima Xueshan Nature Reserve
China (mainland)	Cang Shan Er Hai Nature Reserve
China (mainland)	Gaoligong Shan Nature Reserve (southern section)
China (mainland)	Wuliangshan
China (mainland)	Yulong Xueshan Nature Reserve

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Dry	major	resident
Altitude	2400 - 3400 m	Occasional altitudinal limits	1200 - 4000 m

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
Climate change & severe weather	Habitat shifting & alteration	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Whole (>90%)		Unknown		Unknown
		Stresses Indirect ecosystem effects, Ecosystem conversion

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Yunnan Nuthatch Sitta yunnanensis. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/yunnan-nuthatch-sitta-yunnanensis 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.