Notes on the cultural value, biology and conservation status of the Data Deficient Tagula butcherbird (Cracticus louisiadensis Tristram, 1889)
W. Goulding
A B C , P. Moss A and C. A. McAlpine A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.
B Biodiversity Program, Queensland Museum, PO Box 3300, South Brisbane, Qld 4101, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: w.goulding@uq.edu.au
Pacific Conservation Biology 26(2) 150-160 https://doi.org/10.1071/PC19014
Submitted: 5 April 2019 Accepted: 14 July 2019 Published: 6 September 2019
Abstract
The Tagula butcherbird (Cracticus louisiadensis) is an endemic island species of butcherbird that has remained virtually unknown for over 130 years. The lack of information on the species has resulted in it being assigned to the Data Deficient category by BirdLife International and the IUCN, leaving its conservation status open to continuing speculation. This is an ongoing concern given the rapid environmental changes occurring in the region. Here, we describe the first observations of the habitat use, life history and ecology of the species. We also present information collected across the island distribution of the species, including density and population estimates. We found the Tagula butcherbird to be culturally important and relatively common in suitable habitats across four islands of the Louisiade Archipelago (Papua New Guinea). However, the species was absent from highly disturbed areas. We estimated this species’ extent of occurrence to be ~1200 km2 and area of occupancy to be less than 800 km2. Population densities were estimated via pre-dawn assessments of singing birds and line transects. Density estimates were found to be between 0.14 and 0.53 individuals per hectare, with the highest density observed on Sabara Island. These densities were combined with remote sensing data to estimate the amount of available habitat and the species’ population size, which was estimated to be between ~11 500 and 23 000 individuals. The species’ dependence on forest habitat with a relatively intact canopy, combined with the likely continuing destruction of habitat on Junet and Panawina Islands, remains a conservation concern.
Additional keywords: Artamidae, Cracticinae, Data Deficient, island birds, Louisiade Archipelago, Papua New Guinea.
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