13 thoughts on “White-winged Duck (Asarcornis scutulata)”
Upgrading to Critically Endangered agreed in view of its current population trend (Choudhury 2023). [Choudhury, A. 2023. A tryst with the White-winged Wood Duck. The Sanctuary Asia 43(12): 66-71. ]
In Population Size Justification, para 2, line 10-12, no birds recorded in Dibru-Saikhowa is true but we saw and heard in Dum Duma (or Doom Dooma) RF and Dangori RF in January 2000. Dum Duma are two words and Dangori RF is a separate forest but proposed as a protected area in Choudhury (1996) as Dum Duma-Dangori being closely located. The sentence may perhaps be corrected.
Population Structure Justification. Instead of “every site is a subpopulation” it would be appropriate to write “many sites” as several isolated sites are not very far as the crow flies.
Chowdhury et al 2020 not listed in references.
Lastly I would suggest use of the original English name White-winged WOOD Duck as it has conservation ramifications. In short, it is still popularly known as “wood duck” in India by field forest officials, local people who knows a bit of English. In this regard I have written in details in BirdingASIA (Choudhury, A. 2020. A case for the continued use of the name White-winged Wood Duck. BirdingASIA 33: 8-9.). After this, both BirdingASIA and Asian Journal of Ornithology (formerly Forktail journal) had used full old name in my articles.
Saikia, P. K & Saikia, Kakati M. (2011). Present distribution, status, and ecology of White-winged Wood Duck and Hornbills in Nameri National Park, considering the tropical forest disturbances of Assam. ZOO’s PRINT, 26: (11):1-11. November 2011.ISSN No. 0960-3115.
The above-mentioned Article was not included in the review. Kindly look at the article, A few pieces of information may be there to include for the conservation of the species
Comments: Habitat shrinkage of White-winged Duck and chick collection by local inhabitants (certain neighboring communities) during the breeding season may be the major decimating factor for the species (as observed in 2019 in Nameri NP, adjacent to Sijusa elephant camp and Bogijuli anti-poaching camp ).
Proposals of Critically endangered status are appropriate as per my knowledge concern.
Uplisting the bird to critically endangered category is a Vital step as the species is rarest resident duck of Indian subcontinent with only handful of spots in North East Indian landscape to sight it.
Though both long-term and current trends of this species from Assam (the stronghold in India) are inconclusive due to large confidence intervals, there is still evidence of an overall decline from pre-2000 levels to now as per the analysis of State of India’s Birds.
Agreed to uplisting the species to critically endangered.
There is a significant decline of the population of White winged duck in Assam. No doubt about this. We had a detailed survey in Assam during 2019 to 2020 for this species and and we had sightings of only 24 individuals in few areas. Some of the areas in Eastern Assam, where the birds were sighted during the beginning of the survey were seen completely “destroyed” due to rampant anthropogenic activities towards the end of the survey period in 2020. There is no sighting records of this bird in Dibru-saikhowa national parks in Assam for last 20 years or so, where this bird used to be sighted regularly before 2001.
Interestingly, some bird watchers claim that they “regularly” seen this bird but perhaps sightings are probably repeated sightings of the same individuals again and again in the same wetland (one in Nameri national park and two wetlands near Dihing patkai national park of Assam), where professional tour operators take bird watchers regularly for sighting of this species.
Anthropogenic activities inside once undisturbed habitat is probably the principal cause of decline of this species. Doomduma reserve forest and Dibru saikhowa national park, once considered as prime habitat for this species but due to the disturbance, chances of coming back of this bird here seems to be very remote. As of now, Nameri national park in Assam and Pakke Tiger reserve in Arunachal and Dihing patkai national park and some areas of Namdapha national park in Arunachal are the remaining habitat of this species in the entire north east India. There may be one more population of this bird in Indo-Bhutan boundary low lying forest areas, where Dr. A.U Choudhury recorded an individual some years back. But currently, there is no sighting of this species from that region.
White-winged Duck is very low count at Kachin and Sagaing in Myanmar, nevertheless by 2020 photographers are recorded its almost the time when they got at Htamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary in Sagaing region. Due to lack of surveys effort, population is unknow.
The only consistent report of this species in Sumatra is from Way Kambas National Park, although there may be undereported presence in other region. Most of the sightings in eBird were reported between August-November every year that might coincidence with dry season where they emerge from the forest river, altough it might also be because of the holiday season when birders went to this national park. There are two record from January 2024 submitted to Burungnesia. All observation from this area are allegedly coming from the same site in the wetland outside of the national park.
One interesting pattern I found from these two project is that there is at least one checklist reporting >=4 individuals every year up to 2022, with the highest record of 9 individuals in 2019. However, the record from 2023-January 2024 only listed 1 individuals; and coincidentally there is also a major drought happening in 2023 due to ENSO event. This might be too speculative but there is a chance the worsening ENSO event due to climate change in 2023 (and may extend to 2024) can affect this sub-population, and may be worth to be addressed as well.
Moreover in photos uploaded to ebird shows all bird to be leucistic. Carboneras & Kirwan (2020) mentioned this to be ” normally attributed to hybridization or inbreeding; however, structural and postural differences between Sunda and continental birds do suggest racial differentiation”. If it is indeed happening due to hybridization and inbreding, this shows another threat for this particularly subpopulation that might be worth mentioning in the justification.
Unfavorable conditions for the population in Indonesia. The remaining population in North Sumatra was recorded in 2000, at which time their natural habitat was facing pressure due to the conversion to oil palm plantations. Currently, it is estimated that only 4 provinces on the island of Sumatra still have small populations: the province of Aceh, Riau, Jambi and Lampung.
I agree to up-listing White-winged Duck to Critically Endangered because this species is rarest resident duck in Indian subcontinent with rare sighting record only in North-East India especially in Assam.
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 12 February 2024. We will now analyse and interpret the information, and we will post a preliminary decision on this species’ Red List status on this page on 12 February 2024, when discussions will re-open.
We are grateful to the many comments from contributors who broadly seem in support of the proposal. Accordingly based on available information, our preliminary proposal for the 2024 Red List would be to adopt the proposed classifications outlined in the initial forum discussion. The information provided in this discussion has been incorporated into revised justification texts.
There is now a period for further comments until the final deadline on 18 February 2024, after which the recommended categorisations will be put forward to IUCN.
The final 2024 Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites in December 2024, 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 26 February 2024.
Recommended categorisation to be put forward to IUCN
The final categorisation for this species has not changed. White-winged Duck is recommended to be listed as Critically Endangered under Criteria A2bcde+3bcde+4bcde;C1+2a(i).
Many thanks for everyone who contributed to the 2024.1 GTB Forum process. The final 2024 Red List categories will now be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites in October 2024, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.
Upgrading to Critically Endangered agreed in view of its current population trend (Choudhury 2023). [Choudhury, A. 2023. A tryst with the White-winged Wood Duck. The Sanctuary Asia 43(12): 66-71. ]
In Population Size Justification, para 2, line 10-12, no birds recorded in Dibru-Saikhowa is true but we saw and heard in Dum Duma (or Doom Dooma) RF and Dangori RF in January 2000. Dum Duma are two words and Dangori RF is a separate forest but proposed as a protected area in Choudhury (1996) as Dum Duma-Dangori being closely located. The sentence may perhaps be corrected.
Population Structure Justification. Instead of “every site is a subpopulation” it would be appropriate to write “many sites” as several isolated sites are not very far as the crow flies.
Chowdhury et al 2020 not listed in references.
Lastly I would suggest use of the original English name White-winged WOOD Duck as it has conservation ramifications. In short, it is still popularly known as “wood duck” in India by field forest officials, local people who knows a bit of English. In this regard I have written in details in BirdingASIA (Choudhury, A. 2020. A case for the continued use of the name White-winged Wood Duck. BirdingASIA 33: 8-9.). After this, both BirdingASIA and Asian Journal of Ornithology (formerly Forktail journal) had used full old name in my articles.
Saikia, P. K & Saikia, Kakati M. (2011). Present distribution, status, and ecology of White-winged Wood Duck and Hornbills in Nameri National Park, considering the tropical forest disturbances of Assam. ZOO’s PRINT, 26: (11):1-11. November 2011.ISSN No. 0960-3115.
The above-mentioned Article was not included in the review. Kindly look at the article, A few pieces of information may be there to include for the conservation of the species
Comments: Habitat shrinkage of White-winged Duck and chick collection by local inhabitants (certain neighboring communities) during the breeding season may be the major decimating factor for the species (as observed in 2019 in Nameri NP, adjacent to Sijusa elephant camp and Bogijuli anti-poaching camp ).
Proposals of Critically endangered status are appropriate as per my knowledge concern.
Uplisting the bird to critically endangered category is a Vital step as the species is rarest resident duck of Indian subcontinent with only handful of spots in North East Indian landscape to sight it.
Though both long-term and current trends of this species from Assam (the stronghold in India) are inconclusive due to large confidence intervals, there is still evidence of an overall decline from pre-2000 levels to now as per the analysis of State of India’s Birds.
-56.27% (-70.43, -36.53)
https://stateofindiasbirds.in/species/as-whwduc1/
Agreed to uplisting the species to critically endangered.
There is a significant decline of the population of White winged duck in Assam. No doubt about this. We had a detailed survey in Assam during 2019 to 2020 for this species and and we had sightings of only 24 individuals in few areas. Some of the areas in Eastern Assam, where the birds were sighted during the beginning of the survey were seen completely “destroyed” due to rampant anthropogenic activities towards the end of the survey period in 2020. There is no sighting records of this bird in Dibru-saikhowa national parks in Assam for last 20 years or so, where this bird used to be sighted regularly before 2001.
Interestingly, some bird watchers claim that they “regularly” seen this bird but perhaps sightings are probably repeated sightings of the same individuals again and again in the same wetland (one in Nameri national park and two wetlands near Dihing patkai national park of Assam), where professional tour operators take bird watchers regularly for sighting of this species.
Anthropogenic activities inside once undisturbed habitat is probably the principal cause of decline of this species. Doomduma reserve forest and Dibru saikhowa national park, once considered as prime habitat for this species but due to the disturbance, chances of coming back of this bird here seems to be very remote. As of now, Nameri national park in Assam and Pakke Tiger reserve in Arunachal and Dihing patkai national park and some areas of Namdapha national park in Arunachal are the remaining habitat of this species in the entire north east India. There may be one more population of this bird in Indo-Bhutan boundary low lying forest areas, where Dr. A.U Choudhury recorded an individual some years back. But currently, there is no sighting of this species from that region.
Dr. Rathin Barman
White-winged Duck is very low count at Kachin and Sagaing in Myanmar, nevertheless by 2020 photographers are recorded its almost the time when they got at Htamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary in Sagaing region. Due to lack of surveys effort, population is unknow.
Agreed to uplisting to Critically Endangered.
The only consistent report of this species in Sumatra is from Way Kambas National Park, although there may be undereported presence in other region. Most of the sightings in eBird were reported between August-November every year that might coincidence with dry season where they emerge from the forest river, altough it might also be because of the holiday season when birders went to this national park. There are two record from January 2024 submitted to Burungnesia. All observation from this area are allegedly coming from the same site in the wetland outside of the national park.
One interesting pattern I found from these two project is that there is at least one checklist reporting >=4 individuals every year up to 2022, with the highest record of 9 individuals in 2019. However, the record from 2023-January 2024 only listed 1 individuals; and coincidentally there is also a major drought happening in 2023 due to ENSO event. This might be too speculative but there is a chance the worsening ENSO event due to climate change in 2023 (and may extend to 2024) can affect this sub-population, and may be worth to be addressed as well.
Moreover in photos uploaded to ebird shows all bird to be leucistic. Carboneras & Kirwan (2020) mentioned this to be ” normally attributed to hybridization or inbreeding; however, structural and postural differences between Sunda and continental birds do suggest racial differentiation”. If it is indeed happening due to hybridization and inbreding, this shows another threat for this particularly subpopulation that might be worth mentioning in the justification.
Unfavorable conditions for the population in Indonesia. The remaining population in North Sumatra was recorded in 2000, at which time their natural habitat was facing pressure due to the conversion to oil palm plantations. Currently, it is estimated that only 4 provinces on the island of Sumatra still have small populations: the province of Aceh, Riau, Jambi and Lampung.
I agree to up-listing White-winged Duck to Critically Endangered because this species is rarest resident duck in Indian subcontinent with rare sighting record only in North-East India especially in Assam.
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 12 February 2024. We will now analyse and interpret the information, and we will post a preliminary decision on this species’ Red List status on this page on 12 February 2024, when discussions will re-open.
Preliminary proposal
We are grateful to the many comments from contributors who broadly seem in support of the proposal. Accordingly based on available information, our preliminary proposal for the 2024 Red List would be to adopt the proposed classifications outlined in the initial forum discussion. The information provided in this discussion has been incorporated into revised justification texts.
There is now a period for further comments until the final deadline on 18 February 2024, after which the recommended categorisations will be put forward to IUCN.
The final 2024 Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites in December 2024, 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 26 February 2024.
Recommended categorisation to be put forward to IUCN
The final categorisation for this species has not changed. White-winged Duck is recommended to be listed as Critically Endangered under Criteria A2bcde+3bcde+4bcde;C1+2a(i).
Many thanks for everyone who contributed to the 2024.1 GTB Forum process. The final 2024 Red List categories will now be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites in October 2024, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.