5 thoughts on “Common Newtonia (Newtonia brunneicauda)”
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 25 April 2025. We will now analyse and interpret the information, and we will post a preliminary decision on this species’ Red List category on this page on 25 April 2025, when discussions will re-open.
Based on available information, our preliminary proposal for the 2025 Red List would be to adopt the proposed classification outlined in the initial forum discussion.
There is now a period for further comments until the final deadline on 4 May 2025, after which the recommended categorisations will be put forward to IUCN.
The final 2025 Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites in October 2025, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.
this species is much less likely to be NT than some of the other species proposed (Crossley’s vanga, Madagascar Blue Pigeon, Rufous vanga) as it is less altitudinally restricted, present in western and eastern forest and very much more abundant. Treating these species the same does not seem an appropriate reflection of the threat criteria. While Stripe-throated Jery, and Green Jery occur only in rainforest (if you were to split the subdesert race of Stripe-throated jery, which you should) they are also much more abundant than the three species cited above .
I also have reservations about the forest loss statistics, as much of the primary eastern forest loss measured by GFW may relate to already degraded or secondary forest.
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 a final decision on this species’ Red List category will be posted on this page on 12 May 2025.
Recommended categorisation to be put forward to IUCN
We thank Frank Hawkins for his comment. Given that the species occupies a broader altitudinal and geographic range compared to some of the other assessed Malagasy species, it is reasonable to suspect that the impacts of habitat loss may be partially mitigated by this wider distribution, relative to species with more restricted ranges. However, the species is dependent on intact native forest and is largely absent from secondary forest, plantations, areas dominated by non-native trees, and small forest fragments. Therefore, although an uplisting to Near Threatened may be overly precautionary, particularly when compared to species with narrower ecological tolerances and distributions, the species is nonetheless inferred to be undergoing a continuing decline. Considering this, a suspected rate of decline between 10–19% is plausible, reflecting both the potential buffering effect of its broader range and its reliance on high-quality habitat, which is being lost at a moderately rapid rate.
While the Global Forest Watch data include some degraded and secondary forest, when restricted to the 2001 primary forest area (data from Global Forest Watch 2025) the rate of forest cover loss still approaches thresholds consistent with Near Threatened under Criterion A. Taking into account the additional exacerbating factors outlined in the text, it is considered likely that forest loss, excluding areas that are likely unsuitable habitat, is still occurring at a rate that would be expected to drive a population decline consistent with Near Threatened status for the more restricted eastern species.
Following further review, the recommended categorisation for this species has been changed. Common Newtonia is now recommended to be listed as Least Concern.
Many thanks for everyone who contributed to the 2025.2 GTB Forum process. The final Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites in October 2025, 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 until 25 April 2025. We will now analyse and interpret the information, and we will post a preliminary decision on this species’ Red List category on this page on 25 April 2025, when discussions will re-open.
Preliminary proposal
Based on available information, our preliminary proposal for the 2025 Red List would be to adopt the proposed classification outlined in the initial forum discussion.
There is now a period for further comments until the final deadline on 4 May 2025, after which the recommended categorisations will be put forward to IUCN.
The final 2025 Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites in October 2025, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.
this species is much less likely to be NT than some of the other species proposed (Crossley’s vanga, Madagascar Blue Pigeon, Rufous vanga) as it is less altitudinally restricted, present in western and eastern forest and very much more abundant. Treating these species the same does not seem an appropriate reflection of the threat criteria. While Stripe-throated Jery, and Green Jery occur only in rainforest (if you were to split the subdesert race of Stripe-throated jery, which you should) they are also much more abundant than the three species cited above .
I also have reservations about the forest loss statistics, as much of the primary eastern forest loss measured by GFW may relate to already degraded or secondary forest.
Happy to discuss
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 a final decision on this species’ Red List category will be posted on this page on 12 May 2025.
Recommended categorisation to be put forward to IUCN
We thank Frank Hawkins for his comment. Given that the species occupies a broader altitudinal and geographic range compared to some of the other assessed Malagasy species, it is reasonable to suspect that the impacts of habitat loss may be partially mitigated by this wider distribution, relative to species with more restricted ranges. However, the species is dependent on intact native forest and is largely absent from secondary forest, plantations, areas dominated by non-native trees, and small forest fragments. Therefore, although an uplisting to Near Threatened may be overly precautionary, particularly when compared to species with narrower ecological tolerances and distributions, the species is nonetheless inferred to be undergoing a continuing decline. Considering this, a suspected rate of decline between 10–19% is plausible, reflecting both the potential buffering effect of its broader range and its reliance on high-quality habitat, which is being lost at a moderately rapid rate.
While the Global Forest Watch data include some degraded and secondary forest, when restricted to the 2001 primary forest area (data from Global Forest Watch 2025) the rate of forest cover loss still approaches thresholds consistent with Near Threatened under Criterion A. Taking into account the additional exacerbating factors outlined in the text, it is considered likely that forest loss, excluding areas that are likely unsuitable habitat, is still occurring at a rate that would be expected to drive a population decline consistent with Near Threatened status for the more restricted eastern species.
Following further review, the recommended categorisation for this species has been changed. Common Newtonia is now recommended to be listed as Least Concern.
Many thanks for everyone who contributed to the 2025.2 GTB Forum process. The final Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites in October 2025, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.