8 thoughts on “Rusty-winged Starling (Aplonis zelandica)”
Preliminary proposal
Based on available information, our preliminary proposal for the 2023 Red List would be to adopt the proposed classifications outlined in the initial forum discussion.
There is now a period for further comments until the final deadline on 12 February 2023, after which the recommended categorisations will be put forward to IUCN.
The final 2023 Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites in December 2023, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.
Recommended categorisations to be put forward to IUCN
Following input from G. Dutson (pers. comm.) we believe there may be sufficient data to alter the assessment as is written here, however at present this data is currently not accessible. Our proposal for the 2023 Red List is therefore to pend the decision on this species and keep the discussion open until such data becomes available.
Many thanks for everyone who contributed to the 2023.1 GTB Forum process. The final 2023 Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites in December 2023, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.
This species is remarkably uncommon on Santo, and its status is poorly-known on other Vanuatu islands (it is historically known from Ureparapara, Vanua Lava, Gaua, Mere Lava, Ambae, Malo, Pentecost, Malekula, Ambrym, Paama and Lopevi). On Santo, I have recorded 7 individuals (at 700-920 m) in 5 days in the mountains and none in 6 days in the lowlands. There are a scatter of records on eBird from Santo (of which perhaps only two, at 1160 m and at an unrecorded altitude in mountains, are valid) and two very small islands to the north. In the Santa Cruz Islands, it is uncommon on Nendo (I recorded 15 individuals in 25 hours of active observations) and on Vanikoro (I recorded 3 in >100 hours); there is also a scatter of eBird records from these two islands. It is relatively quiet and unobtrusive, so likely overlooked, but assuming an ‘effective detection distance’ of 10 m in closed forest and a walking pace of 1 kmph for my observations, suggest a density of around 5 individuals / km2 in the mountains of Santo (perhaps covering 1000 km2 as estimated by BirdLife for Santo Thicketbird), around 30 individuals / km2 on Nendo (500 km2), and <1 individual / km2 on Vanikoro. The total population is therefore estimated to be 2,500-10,000 mature individuals. However, there is no evidence of a decline, other than its occurrence at remarkably low population densities.
Addendum: Medway & Marshall (1976) only found this species on Santo at 1120 m. Kratter et al (2006) failed to find this species on Santo in 14 days of surveys at 600-1250 m and 7 days at 500-700 m. Bouchet et al (2011) failed to find this species on Santo in 4 days at 900-1200 m. Anderson et al (2017) failed to find this species in 12 days of surveys on Vanua Lava, Gaua and Malekula. So perhaps using the AOO of the thicketbird (1000 km2) is a big over-estimate?
Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to this discussion. We greatly appreciate the time and effort invested in commenting. The window for consultation is now closed and we are unable to accept any more comments until 26 June 2023. We will now analyse and interpret the new information, and we will post a preliminary decision on this species’ Red List status on this page on 26 June 2023, when discussions will re-open.
The information provided by G. Dutson has been incorporated into the species factsheet. Although there is no information on the population trend, given this species’ rarity and plausible impacts of invasive rats and forest loss, the population trend has been precautionarily revised to a suspected decline. However, although the population estimate of 2,500-10,000 mature individuals meets the initial threshold for Criterion C, the density estimates suggest there may be more than 1,000 mature individuals in the largest subpopulation. It therefore does not meet subcriterion C2a(i) and thus does not meet the required thresholds for listing as Near Threatened. Based on available information therefore, our preliminary proposal for the 2023 Red List would be to adopt the proposed classifications outlined in the initial forum discussion.
There is now a period for further comments until the final deadline on 2 July 2023, after which the recommended categorisations will be put forward to IUCN.
The final 2023 Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites in December 2023, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.
Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to this discussion. We greatly appreciate the time and effort invested in commenting. The window for consultation is now closed and we are unable to accept any more comments. We will analyse and interpret the information, and we will post a final decision on this species’ Red List status on this page on 10 July 2023.
Recommended categorisation to be put forward to IUCN
The final categorisation for this species has not changed. Rusty-winged Starling is recommended to be listed as Least Concern.
Many thanks for everyone who contributed to the 2023.2 GTB Forum process. The final 2023 Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites in December 2023, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.
Preliminary proposal
Based on available information, our preliminary proposal for the 2023 Red List would be to adopt the proposed classifications outlined in the initial forum discussion.
There is now a period for further comments until the final deadline on 12 February 2023, after which the recommended categorisations will be put forward to IUCN.
The final 2023 Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites in December 2023, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.
Recommended categorisations to be put forward to IUCN
Following input from G. Dutson (pers. comm.) we believe there may be sufficient data to alter the assessment as is written here, however at present this data is currently not accessible. Our proposal for the 2023 Red List is therefore to pend the decision on this species and keep the discussion open until such data becomes available.
Many thanks for everyone who contributed to the 2023.1 GTB Forum process. The final 2023 Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites in December 2023, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.
This species is remarkably uncommon on Santo, and its status is poorly-known on other Vanuatu islands (it is historically known from Ureparapara, Vanua Lava, Gaua, Mere Lava, Ambae, Malo, Pentecost, Malekula, Ambrym, Paama and Lopevi). On Santo, I have recorded 7 individuals (at 700-920 m) in 5 days in the mountains and none in 6 days in the lowlands. There are a scatter of records on eBird from Santo (of which perhaps only two, at 1160 m and at an unrecorded altitude in mountains, are valid) and two very small islands to the north. In the Santa Cruz Islands, it is uncommon on Nendo (I recorded 15 individuals in 25 hours of active observations) and on Vanikoro (I recorded 3 in >100 hours); there is also a scatter of eBird records from these two islands. It is relatively quiet and unobtrusive, so likely overlooked, but assuming an ‘effective detection distance’ of 10 m in closed forest and a walking pace of 1 kmph for my observations, suggest a density of around 5 individuals / km2 in the mountains of Santo (perhaps covering 1000 km2 as estimated by BirdLife for Santo Thicketbird), around 30 individuals / km2 on Nendo (500 km2), and <1 individual / km2 on Vanikoro. The total population is therefore estimated to be 2,500-10,000 mature individuals. However, there is no evidence of a decline, other than its occurrence at remarkably low population densities.
Addendum: Medway & Marshall (1976) only found this species on Santo at 1120 m. Kratter et al (2006) failed to find this species on Santo in 14 days of surveys at 600-1250 m and 7 days at 500-700 m. Bouchet et al (2011) failed to find this species on Santo in 4 days at 900-1200 m. Anderson et al (2017) failed to find this species in 12 days of surveys on Vanua Lava, Gaua and Malekula. So perhaps using the AOO of the thicketbird (1000 km2) is a big over-estimate?
Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to this discussion. We greatly appreciate the time and effort invested in commenting. The window for consultation is now closed and we are unable to accept any more comments until 26 June 2023. We will now analyse and interpret the new information, and we will post a preliminary decision on this species’ Red List status on this page on 26 June 2023, when discussions will re-open.
Preliminary proposal
The information provided by G. Dutson has been incorporated into the species factsheet. Although there is no information on the population trend, given this species’ rarity and plausible impacts of invasive rats and forest loss, the population trend has been precautionarily revised to a suspected decline. However, although the population estimate of 2,500-10,000 mature individuals meets the initial threshold for Criterion C, the density estimates suggest there may be more than 1,000 mature individuals in the largest subpopulation. It therefore does not meet subcriterion C2a(i) and thus does not meet the required thresholds for listing as Near Threatened. Based on available information therefore, our preliminary proposal for the 2023 Red List would be to adopt the proposed classifications outlined in the initial forum discussion.
There is now a period for further comments until the final deadline on 2 July 2023, after which the recommended categorisations will be put forward to IUCN.
The final 2023 Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites in December 2023, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.
Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to this discussion. We greatly appreciate the time and effort invested in commenting. The window for consultation is now closed and we are unable to accept any more comments. We will analyse and interpret the information, and we will post a final decision on this species’ Red List status on this page on 10 July 2023.
Recommended categorisation to be put forward to IUCN
The final categorisation for this species has not changed. Rusty-winged Starling is recommended to be listed as Least Concern.
Many thanks for everyone who contributed to the 2023.2 GTB Forum process. The final 2023 Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites in December 2023, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.