IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
| Evans, T.; Timmins, R. | |
| News from Laos - an informal summary of the January-June 1994 results | |
| 1994 Full Book | |
A remarkable diversity of wildlife was found during the survey, including about 400 species of bird (though this list is still far from complete, and little time has so far been spent in the higher montane areas). At least eight Red Data species were present. Good numbers of Beautiful Nuthatch Sitta formosa and Rufous-necked Hornbills Aceros nipalensis occur above 1000 m. Along the forested lowland rivers and streams, Blyth's Kingfisher Alcedo hercules and several White-winged Ducks Cairina scutulata were found. In the wetter forests, Crested Argus Rheinartia ocellata were numerous and the first Short-tailed Scimitar-Babblers Jabouillea danjoui outside Vietnam were seen. Small numbers of Siamese Fireback Lophura diardi and Red collared Woodpecker Picus rabieri were also present on the Nakai Plateau. Intriguingly, many hunters also reported an all-blue-black pheasant with a straight tail which might well prove to be the exceedingly rare Imperial Pheasant Lophura imperialis, though sadly no specimens could be found. There was an excellent supporting cast of ten near-threatened species, including Purple Cochoa Cochoa purpurea, Coral-billed Ground-Cuckoo Carpococcyx renauldii, Ratchet-tailed Treepie Temnurus temnurus, Pied Falconet Microhierax melanoleucos and White-winged Magpie Urocissa Whiteheadil. Although the area had been visited by two pre-war collecting expeditions a great number of range additions were noted -including perhaps 10 new species for the country and another 30 or more new to the 'Central' region of Laos (as used by King et al. 1975 -'Fieldguide to the birds of South East Asia') |
|
 |
PDF files are only accessible to Friends of the Cat Group. Joining Friends of the Cat Group gives you unlimited access and downloads in the Cat SG Library for one year, and allows you to receive our newsletter Cat News (2 regular issues per year plus special issues). More information how to join here |
(c) IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group ( IUCN - The World Conservation Union) |