Friday, October 23, 2009

Rufous-collared Kingfisher (Actenoides concretus)



Actenoides concretus is confined to the Sundaic lowlands, from south Tenasserim, Myanmar, peninsular Thailand, Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore (formerly), Kalimantan, Sumatra (including offshore islands) and Java, Indonesia and Brunei.


This species occurs in the middle stratum and understorey of lowland and hill forest up to 1,500 m (1,700 m on Borneo). It inhabits only closed-canopy forest, but can occur in regenerating logged forest.



Threats Rates of forest loss in the Sundaic lowlands have been extremely rapid, owing partly to the escalation of illegal logging and land conversion, with deliberate targeting of all remaining stands of valuable timber including those inside protected areas. Forest fires have also had a damaging effect (particularly in 1997-1998). The magnitude of these threats may be allayed by this species's tolerance of hill forest, which is under less pressure from logging and agricultural conversion.


Repeated surveys across the range is essential to estimate population trends and rates of range contraction. Ensure the protection of remaining tracts of primary lowland rainforest throughout the range.


2009 IUCN Red List Category (as evaluated by BirdLife International - the official Red List Authority for birds for IUCN): Near Threatened


*References BirdLife International (2001).