Archived 2012-2013 topics: Manipur Bush-quail (Perdicula manipurensis): uplist to Endangered?

BirdLife species factsheet for Manipur Bush-quail Manipur Bush-quail Perdicula manipurensis occurs in northern West Bengal, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur and Meghalaya in north-eastern India, with its range at least historically extending into Chittagong, Chittagong Hill Tracts and Sylhet districts, Bangladesh. It is currently classified as Vulnerable under criteria A2c+3c+4c; B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v); C2a(i), because its poorly known specialised habitat is rapidly declining and becoming increasingly fragmented owing to demand for agriculture, overgrazing and inappropriate fire regimes, its population is undergoing a rapid decline and it suffers from on-going hunting pressures across its range. The population was previously estimated to number 2,500-9,999 mature individuals based on an assessment of known records, descriptions of abundance and range size. However, recent information suggests that the species’s population is likely to be smaller than previously thought, and its grassland habitat is now severely fragmented (A. Rahmani in litt. 2012). It went unrecorded between 1932 and 2006 (Anon. 2006), and has not been seen since, despite follow-up surveys, indicating that its small range may be occupied by a very small population. If there is evidence to suggest that the population is likely to have undergone a reduction of ≥50% over three generations (estimated at c.12 years [BirdLife International, unpubl. data]), this species would warrant uplisting to Endangered under IUCN Red List criterion A2c+3c+4c. If the Extent of Occurrence (EOO) of this species is <5,000 km2, its habitat is confirmed to be severely fragmented and is continuing to decline, it would qualify as Endangered under B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v). If its population is now estimated to be <2,500 mature individuals and all subpopulations are ≤250 mature individuals, it would qualify as Endangered under criterion C2a(i). Any information which might be provide new insights into this species’s likely distribution, population size, trends, size of the largest subpopulation and the severity of threats faced by this species is requested. Reference: Anon. (2006) Bush-quail makes unexpected reappearance. World Birdwatch 28(3): 8.