5 thoughts on “Gurney’s Sugarbird (Promerops gurneyi)”
Hi
I support status change to “Least Concern”. See below my comments for future research or monitoring
I checked Sabap2 map – there are no ad hoc records inside Lesotho and the records of pentads including Lesotho is probably on the KZN side. Those pentads around Sani Pass and KZN escarpment. When I did a research on Prinia in 2009 – 2013s I noticed Gurney’s Sugarbirds (logged for Sabap2) they were mostly around Protea species. But it is not known if there are movements (in winter?) to Sani top and surroundings. Any flowering aloe species you know in Lesotho and flowering in winter. This can be a resource for sugarbirds moving into Lesotho over time?
The main problem is their fragmented range on escarpment – see papers Haworth et al. (2018), PeerJ, DOI 10.7717/peerj.5000 & To cite this article: François R Smith, Timothy G O’Connor, James E Granger & Angela J
Beaumont (2021) Fire and the persistence, decline and extirpation of Protearoupelliae subsp.
roupelliae trees in a montane grassland, African Journal of Range & Forage Science, 38:1, 80-87,
DOI: 10.2989/10220119.2020.1843191
So my suggestion – keep status as is. But keep their range and fire impacts as consideration
Mainly because of fragmented distribution and impacts on fires of montane grassland Protea roupelliae populations. The concern is also the gaps (or lacking records?) in areas on escarpment between the eastern FS to Baberton areas of Mpumalanga towards. Survey of Protea roupelliae needed – data on INaturalist and Sanbi? – And this species probably under atlassed in the Eastern Cape area (so surveys is needed)
Hope my comments can be used for further evaluations
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 2 February 2026. 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 2 February 2026, when discussions will re-open.
Thank you, Dawie, for your comments and suggestions. eBird records indicate that the species has been observed just inside Lesotho at Sani Pass. While eBird locations are not always highly precise, these records suggest the species occurs just over the border. The assessment will be updated to reflect the potential impacts of fire on Protea roupelliae, and your recommendations regarding surveys and range gaps will be noted for future monitoring needed.
Preliminary proposal
Based on available information, our preliminary proposal for the 2026 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 8 February 2026, after which the recommended categorisations will be put forward to IUCN.
The final 2026 Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites later this year, 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 a final decision on this species’ Red List category will be posted on this page on 16 February 2026.
Recommended categorisation to be put forward to IUCN
The final categorisation for this species has not changed. Gurney’s Sugarbird is recommended to be listed as Least Concern.
Many thanks to everyone who contributed to the 2026.1 GTB Forum process. The final Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites later this year, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.
Hi
I support status change to “Least Concern”. See below my comments for future research or monitoring
I checked Sabap2 map – there are no ad hoc records inside Lesotho and the records of pentads including Lesotho is probably on the KZN side. Those pentads around Sani Pass and KZN escarpment. When I did a research on Prinia in 2009 – 2013s I noticed Gurney’s Sugarbirds (logged for Sabap2) they were mostly around Protea species. But it is not known if there are movements (in winter?) to Sani top and surroundings. Any flowering aloe species you know in Lesotho and flowering in winter. This can be a resource for sugarbirds moving into Lesotho over time?
The main problem is their fragmented range on escarpment – see papers Haworth et al. (2018), PeerJ, DOI 10.7717/peerj.5000 & To cite this article: François R Smith, Timothy G O’Connor, James E Granger & Angela J
Beaumont (2021) Fire and the persistence, decline and extirpation of Protearoupelliae subsp.
roupelliae trees in a montane grassland, African Journal of Range & Forage Science, 38:1, 80-87,
DOI: 10.2989/10220119.2020.1843191
So my suggestion – keep status as is. But keep their range and fire impacts as consideration
Mainly because of fragmented distribution and impacts on fires of montane grassland Protea roupelliae populations. The concern is also the gaps (or lacking records?) in areas on escarpment between the eastern FS to Baberton areas of Mpumalanga towards. Survey of Protea roupelliae needed – data on INaturalist and Sanbi? – And this species probably under atlassed in the Eastern Cape area (so surveys is needed)
Hope my comments can be used for further evaluations
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 2 February 2026. 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 2 February 2026, when discussions will re-open.
Thank you, Dawie, for your comments and suggestions. eBird records indicate that the species has been observed just inside Lesotho at Sani Pass. While eBird locations are not always highly precise, these records suggest the species occurs just over the border. The assessment will be updated to reflect the potential impacts of fire on Protea roupelliae, and your recommendations regarding surveys and range gaps will be noted for future monitoring needed.
Preliminary proposal
Based on available information, our preliminary proposal for the 2026 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 8 February 2026, after which the recommended categorisations will be put forward to IUCN.
The final 2026 Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites later this year, 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 a final decision on this species’ Red List category will be posted on this page on 16 February 2026.
Recommended categorisation to be put forward to IUCN
The final categorisation for this species has not changed. Gurney’s Sugarbird is recommended to be listed as Least Concern.
Many thanks to everyone who contributed to the 2026.1 GTB Forum process. The final Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites later this year, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.