Colleagues,
BirdLife International is inviting you to participate in an online consultation process to discuss possible changes to the global threat status of various species, of which Fischer's Turaco is one. You could look at the topic relating to the Fischer's Turaco at http://www.birdlifeforums.org/WebX/.2cba6b0c (also see extarct below) and comment on it online of send your comments directly to jez.bird@birdlife.org or myself at paul.ndanganga@birdlife.or.ke
Fischer’s Turaco (Tauraco fischeri): information requested.
Fischer’s Turaco Tauraco fischeri is currently treated as Near Threatened approaching the threshold for listing as threatened under criteria C1 and C2aii. Although in Kenya and Tanzania, it is reportedly frequent to common (Fry et al. 1988; Seddon et al. 1999) in coastal forests from Boni south to Tanga, inland along the Tana River, and up to 1,500 m in the Usambara Mountains (Fry et al. 1988), the total population was thought to be very small, at no more than 2,500 birds D. A. Turner in litt. 1999). This has since been revised following an estimate of 1,400 individuals on Zanzibar (Borghesio and Ndang’ana’a 2003) and the global population is now estimated at 2,500-9,999 mature individuals. This is below the threshold of 10,000 mature individuals that triggers criterion C of
the IUCN Red List; however, given the report that it is ‘frequent to common’ is this realistic or could the global population be larger? If the population is <10,000 and all subpopulations support fewer than 1,000 individuals the species may warrant uplisting to Vulnerable assuming a continuing population decline. Comments on the global population size, structure and trends are welcomed.
Borghesio, L. and Kariuki Ndang'ang'a, P. (2003) Habitat selection and the conservation status of Fischer's Turaco Tauraco fischeri on Uguja, Tanzania. Oryx 37: 444-453.
Fry, C. H., Keith, S. and Urban, E. K. (1988) The birds of Africa vol III. London: Academic Press.
Seddon, N., Ekstrom, J. M. M., Capper, D. R., Isherwood, I. S., Muna, R., Pople, R. G., Tarimo, E. and Timothy, J. (1999) Notes on the ecology and conservation status of key bird species in Nilo and Nguu North Forest Reserves, Tanzania. Bird Conserv. Int. 9:
9-28.