One thought on “New Britain Boobook (Ninox odiosa)”
Although I agree with the reasoning based on forest loss, there is another stressor which may be much more significant in reducing populations of this species, namely the widespread use of second generation anticoagulant rodenticides in oil palm plantations that form much of it’s lowland range. In a study on the Australian Boobook, we documented rates of up to 75% potentially lethal exposure across a broad geographical region. Given the profound impacts SGARS have been demonstrated to have on Australian raptor populations, it is highly likely that the same also applies in New Britain where we observed widespread use of SGARs. It is not at all; unlikely that up to half of populations are being negatively impacted. Our research finds that population level impacts from SGARS may eclipse other common stressors. Based on this alone I think the species qualifies as at least NT.
Lohr, M.T. (2018). Anticoagulant rodenticide exposure in an Australian predatory bird increases with proximity to developed habitat, Science of The Total Environment,
Volume 643, Pages 134-144.
Although I agree with the reasoning based on forest loss, there is another stressor which may be much more significant in reducing populations of this species, namely the widespread use of second generation anticoagulant rodenticides in oil palm plantations that form much of it’s lowland range. In a study on the Australian Boobook, we documented rates of up to 75% potentially lethal exposure across a broad geographical region. Given the profound impacts SGARS have been demonstrated to have on Australian raptor populations, it is highly likely that the same also applies in New Britain where we observed widespread use of SGARs. It is not at all; unlikely that up to half of populations are being negatively impacted. Our research finds that population level impacts from SGARS may eclipse other common stressors. Based on this alone I think the species qualifies as at least NT.
Lohr, M.T. (2018). Anticoagulant rodenticide exposure in an Australian predatory bird increases with proximity to developed habitat, Science of The Total Environment,
Volume 643, Pages 134-144.