9 thoughts on “Swamp Francolin (Ortygornis gularis)”
I think the text is self-contradictory at places. It is already extirpated or numbers delpleted greatly outside the protected areas. Hence, in such areas there is no scope to see further decline! It has already declined or vanished completely. Most of the major protected areas where the bird occurs are all old, some even more than 100 years. There is no significant protected area that has been created recently that has benefitted the species. Rather it has nearly extirpated from protected areas such as Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam. The grassland habitat is threatened owing to invasion of exotic weeds such as Mimosa, Mikenia and several other species, grazing, late burning, tree regeneration, etc., in most of the protected areas. No doubt it is doing well is several protected areas such as Dudhwa, Kaziranga, D’Ering, Dibru-Saikhowa, etc., but is doing so since long. Is there any census data to show its phenomenal growth in recent years?
I disagree its downgrading to Least Concern.
Dear Redlist Team,
Swamp Francolin is a very local resident in Nepal. At present, it is recorded in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (KTWR) and Shuklaphanta National Park (ShNP), two disjunct populations, far southwest and far southeast Nepal. It is extirpated from Chitwan and Bardia National Park. The Nepal population was estimated at 350–500 individuals during 2016. A countrywide survey of Swamp Francolin in 2023 estimated 192 pairs (384 individuals), which include 64 pairs in ShNP and 128 pairs in KTWR . These were mostly confined within the protected area boundaries.
Swamp Francolin habitat are threatened by various anthropogenic activities such as tall-grass harvesting, timber and fuelwood collection, hunting, poisoning of water for fishing, and over-grazing/trampling of vegetation by domestic livestock (primarily cattle and goats). Swamp Francolins also suffer from natural phenomena, such as predation and successional change of habitat (i.e. wet grassland to scrub/forest). These types of factors were recorded during our field visits to both ShNP and KTWR. Periodic floods may also pose problems, but equally may set-back succession to a more preferred habitat type.
I understand that the bird is facing the same problem in India as well.
In this scenario, I request that you not downlist the threatened category from vulnerable to least concern.
Thank you!
Laxman Prasad Poudyal
Program Manager, Terai-arc Landscape Program
Nepal
In Nepal, Swamp Francolin is virtually confined to two disjunct protected areas, Shuklaphanta National Park (ShNP) in the far west and Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (KTWR) in the far east. The National Red List Assessment (Inskipp et al. 2016) estimated a total population size of 350-500 birds. A later country-wide and comprehensive survey in 2023 found only 64 pairs in ShNP and 128 pairs in KTWR (Poudyal et al. 2023),
Human and domestic livestock counts in the 2023 survey indicated that human disturbance and over-grazing
activities are quite serious ongoing threats in ShNP and KTWR. Drying of water bodies and possibly pesticide use are other significant threats (Poudyal et al. 2023). Please maintain this species as globally Vulnerable.
References
Inskipp, C. H.S. Baral, S. Phuyal, T.R. Bhatt, M. Khatiwada, T. Inskipp, A. Khatiwada, S. Gurung, P. B. Singh,L. Murray, L. Poudyal and R. Amin (2016).The status of Nepal’s Birds: the National Red List Series. Zoological Society of London. Downloaded on 24/04/2024; http://www.himalayannature.org
Poudyal, L. P., Singh, P. B. and Rai, P. (2023) Countrywide survey of Swamp Francolin Ortygornis gularis in Nepal. Unpublished report to Oriental Bird Club and the World Pheasant Association.
Considering the points above by colleagues on Nepal swamp francolin status, and the population constantly fluctuating, the species should not be downlisted from its current Vulnerable category. Also the long green line of species’ continuous distribution in Nepal shown in the map here is misleading as it now only occurs in two highly fragmented populations–one far east of the country and the other in the farwest. This is the case for more than 40 years now–and we have not found any new populations and signs of range expansion even by a few kms! Farwest populations may be interacting with populations in India, south of Nepal border but the eastern Nepal populations are very isolated. This poses another risk to the species.
Considering that there are no specific conservation measures taken targeting this species, their limited geographic range, small and disjunct populations we think swamp francolin best stays as Vulnerable for now. We should not shy away from saying –‘in spite of our local/regional/global conservation efforts species like this are not making a visible comeback’
We agree with Dr Anwaruddin and disagree with downlisting proposed for the reasons outlined above and by my two colleagues referencing Nepal populations. Thank you
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 3 May 2024. We will now analyse and interpret all information, and we will post a preliminary decision on this species’ Red List status on this page on 3 May 2024, when discussions will re-open.
We thank all contributors for their comments on the above proposal. To address the questions posed by A. Choudhury, there is indeed no evidence that the species is increasing – this is reflected in the population trend, which is set to decreasing/declining. However, there is no evidence that the species is declining rapidly (or has declined rapidly over the past three generations), in large part because an increasing % of the species’ population lies in protected areas. Accordingly, we do not believe the species meets or approaches thresholds under Criterion A.
We thank contributors regarding information from Nepal. We have incorporated this information into the updated species factsheet draft. It is evident that in Nepal the species remains at risk, and we encourage the use of National Red List assessments to capture this. However, the present proposal is regarding the species’ global extinction risk.
Nonetheless, we acknowledge that the species remains at risk of numerous threats across its range, and the population size may now be relatively small, notwithstanding its strongholds. We therefore propose to suspect the species’ population size as 7,500-20,000 mature individuals, with plausibly no more than 750-2,000 in the largest subpopulation (acknowledging that populations in Nepal sit far below this). While this is surrounded with uncertainty, it is a precautionary position. The species therefore approaches, but does not meet, the thresholds for listing as threatened.
Based on available information, our preliminary proposal for the 2024 Red List would be to list Swamp Francolin as Near Threatened, approaching thresholds for listing as threatened under Criterion C2a(i).
There is now a period for further comments until the final deadline on 13 May 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 October 2024, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.
Near Threatened would be a mistake at the moment without quantitative data. There is no evidence to support this at all, nor for any other grassland bird in the region given the imminent threats to habitat. The species has almost certainly declined in its habitat within Arunachal Pradesh since 2015-2016 surveys. Our acoustic monitoring detected it at D’Ering wildlife sanctuary in January 2020 but not since, and even then it was only found in very specific areas of this PA. Surveys are needed urgently in more inaccessible areas to ascertain its true status.
The short grasslands and mosaics it inhabits on the other side of D’Ering in Assam are highly fragmented, and some unprotected areas harboring the species have been recently damaged by fires. Invasive weeds are a problem in several areas of short grassland as already mentioned above.
It may be in better shape than it was thought about 20 years ago (and remains common in parts of Tinsukia adjoining Dibru Saikhowa National Park, Manas and Kaziranga), but this is only the result of improving surveys, and it is rather a stretch to claim that it is not now declining given the trheats to grasslands across its range, Downlisting without concrete evidence of stability is premature at best and dangerous at worst. It is not a “low risk” species by any estimation, and neither are other species with severely fragmented populations confined to floodplain grassland.
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 available information, posting a final decision on this species’ Red List status on this page on 20 May 2024.
Recommended categorisation to be put forward to IUCN
The final categorisation for this species has not changed. Swamp Francolin is recommended to be listed as Near Threatened , approaching threatened thresholds under Criterion C2a(i). In response to the comment made by A. Krishnan, there is no suggestion that the species is not declining (indeed its assessment as Near Threatened under C2a(i) depends on this), however the rate of decline is very unlikely to exceed 30% over three generations as the previous assessment assumed in large part, as the comments here acknowledge, because a large proportion of the species’ population now occurs in protected areas.
Many thanks for everyone who contributed to the 2024.2 GTB Forum process. The final 2024 Red List categories will 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.
I think the text is self-contradictory at places. It is already extirpated or numbers delpleted greatly outside the protected areas. Hence, in such areas there is no scope to see further decline! It has already declined or vanished completely. Most of the major protected areas where the bird occurs are all old, some even more than 100 years. There is no significant protected area that has been created recently that has benefitted the species. Rather it has nearly extirpated from protected areas such as Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam. The grassland habitat is threatened owing to invasion of exotic weeds such as Mimosa, Mikenia and several other species, grazing, late burning, tree regeneration, etc., in most of the protected areas. No doubt it is doing well is several protected areas such as Dudhwa, Kaziranga, D’Ering, Dibru-Saikhowa, etc., but is doing so since long. Is there any census data to show its phenomenal growth in recent years?
I disagree its downgrading to Least Concern.
Dear Redlist Team,
Swamp Francolin is a very local resident in Nepal. At present, it is recorded in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (KTWR) and Shuklaphanta National Park (ShNP), two disjunct populations, far southwest and far southeast Nepal. It is extirpated from Chitwan and Bardia National Park. The Nepal population was estimated at 350–500 individuals during 2016. A countrywide survey of Swamp Francolin in 2023 estimated 192 pairs (384 individuals), which include 64 pairs in ShNP and 128 pairs in KTWR . These were mostly confined within the protected area boundaries.
Swamp Francolin habitat are threatened by various anthropogenic activities such as tall-grass harvesting, timber and fuelwood collection, hunting, poisoning of water for fishing, and over-grazing/trampling of vegetation by domestic livestock (primarily cattle and goats). Swamp Francolins also suffer from natural phenomena, such as predation and successional change of habitat (i.e. wet grassland to scrub/forest). These types of factors were recorded during our field visits to both ShNP and KTWR. Periodic floods may also pose problems, but equally may set-back succession to a more preferred habitat type.
I understand that the bird is facing the same problem in India as well.
In this scenario, I request that you not downlist the threatened category from vulnerable to least concern.
Thank you!
Laxman Prasad Poudyal
Program Manager, Terai-arc Landscape Program
Nepal
In Nepal, Swamp Francolin is virtually confined to two disjunct protected areas, Shuklaphanta National Park (ShNP) in the far west and Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (KTWR) in the far east. The National Red List Assessment (Inskipp et al. 2016) estimated a total population size of 350-500 birds. A later country-wide and comprehensive survey in 2023 found only 64 pairs in ShNP and 128 pairs in KTWR (Poudyal et al. 2023),
Human and domestic livestock counts in the 2023 survey indicated that human disturbance and over-grazing
activities are quite serious ongoing threats in ShNP and KTWR. Drying of water bodies and possibly pesticide use are other significant threats (Poudyal et al. 2023). Please maintain this species as globally Vulnerable.
References
Inskipp, C. H.S. Baral, S. Phuyal, T.R. Bhatt, M. Khatiwada, T. Inskipp, A. Khatiwada, S. Gurung, P. B. Singh,L. Murray, L. Poudyal and R. Amin (2016).The status of Nepal’s Birds: the National Red List Series. Zoological Society of London. Downloaded on 24/04/2024; http://www.himalayannature.org
Poudyal, L. P., Singh, P. B. and Rai, P. (2023) Countrywide survey of Swamp Francolin Ortygornis gularis in Nepal. Unpublished report to Oriental Bird Club and the World Pheasant Association.
Considering the points above by colleagues on Nepal swamp francolin status, and the population constantly fluctuating, the species should not be downlisted from its current Vulnerable category. Also the long green line of species’ continuous distribution in Nepal shown in the map here is misleading as it now only occurs in two highly fragmented populations–one far east of the country and the other in the farwest. This is the case for more than 40 years now–and we have not found any new populations and signs of range expansion even by a few kms! Farwest populations may be interacting with populations in India, south of Nepal border but the eastern Nepal populations are very isolated. This poses another risk to the species.
Considering that there are no specific conservation measures taken targeting this species, their limited geographic range, small and disjunct populations we think swamp francolin best stays as Vulnerable for now. We should not shy away from saying –‘in spite of our local/regional/global conservation efforts species like this are not making a visible comeback’
We agree with Dr Anwaruddin and disagree with downlisting proposed for the reasons outlined above and by my two colleagues referencing Nepal populations. Thank you
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 3 May 2024. We will now analyse and interpret all information, and we will post a preliminary decision on this species’ Red List status on this page on 3 May 2024, when discussions will re-open.
Preliminary proposal
We thank all contributors for their comments on the above proposal. To address the questions posed by A. Choudhury, there is indeed no evidence that the species is increasing – this is reflected in the population trend, which is set to decreasing/declining. However, there is no evidence that the species is declining rapidly (or has declined rapidly over the past three generations), in large part because an increasing % of the species’ population lies in protected areas. Accordingly, we do not believe the species meets or approaches thresholds under Criterion A.
We thank contributors regarding information from Nepal. We have incorporated this information into the updated species factsheet draft. It is evident that in Nepal the species remains at risk, and we encourage the use of National Red List assessments to capture this. However, the present proposal is regarding the species’ global extinction risk.
Nonetheless, we acknowledge that the species remains at risk of numerous threats across its range, and the population size may now be relatively small, notwithstanding its strongholds. We therefore propose to suspect the species’ population size as 7,500-20,000 mature individuals, with plausibly no more than 750-2,000 in the largest subpopulation (acknowledging that populations in Nepal sit far below this). While this is surrounded with uncertainty, it is a precautionary position. The species therefore approaches, but does not meet, the thresholds for listing as threatened.
Based on available information, our preliminary proposal for the 2024 Red List would be to list Swamp Francolin as Near Threatened, approaching thresholds for listing as threatened under Criterion C2a(i).
There is now a period for further comments until the final deadline on 13 May 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 October 2024, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.
Near Threatened would be a mistake at the moment without quantitative data. There is no evidence to support this at all, nor for any other grassland bird in the region given the imminent threats to habitat. The species has almost certainly declined in its habitat within Arunachal Pradesh since 2015-2016 surveys. Our acoustic monitoring detected it at D’Ering wildlife sanctuary in January 2020 but not since, and even then it was only found in very specific areas of this PA. Surveys are needed urgently in more inaccessible areas to ascertain its true status.
The short grasslands and mosaics it inhabits on the other side of D’Ering in Assam are highly fragmented, and some unprotected areas harboring the species have been recently damaged by fires. Invasive weeds are a problem in several areas of short grassland as already mentioned above.
It may be in better shape than it was thought about 20 years ago (and remains common in parts of Tinsukia adjoining Dibru Saikhowa National Park, Manas and Kaziranga), but this is only the result of improving surveys, and it is rather a stretch to claim that it is not now declining given the trheats to grasslands across its range, Downlisting without concrete evidence of stability is premature at best and dangerous at worst. It is not a “low risk” species by any estimation, and neither are other species with severely fragmented populations confined to floodplain grassland.
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 available information, posting a final decision on this species’ Red List status on this page on 20 May 2024.
Recommended categorisation to be put forward to IUCN
The final categorisation for this species has not changed. Swamp Francolin is recommended to be listed as Near Threatened , approaching threatened thresholds under Criterion C2a(i). In response to the comment made by A. Krishnan, there is no suggestion that the species is not declining (indeed its assessment as Near Threatened under C2a(i) depends on this), however the rate of decline is very unlikely to exceed 30% over three generations as the previous assessment assumed in large part, as the comments here acknowledge, because a large proportion of the species’ population now occurs in protected areas.
Many thanks for everyone who contributed to the 2024.2 GTB Forum process. The final 2024 Red List categories will 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.