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The Troubled Baer's Pochard Aythya Baeri: Cause for a Little Optimism?

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The Troubled Baer's Pochard Aythya Baeri: Cause for a Little Optimism? 78 BirdingASIA 24 (2015): 78–83 CONSERVATION NEWS The troubled Baer’s Pochard Aythya baeri: cause for a little optimism? RICHARD HEARN Baer’s Pochard Aythya baeri came into sharp focus Pochard Task Force (BPTF) has now been in 2012 when it was listed Critically Endangered established and will meet in early 2016 to begin (BirdLife International 2015), following the this work—for further information see http:// assessment by Wang et al. (2012). The situation www.eaaflyway.net/our-activities/task-forces/ was extremely serious (Hearn et al. 2013) and baers-pochard-task-force/ . whilst the knowledge gained since then means we The SSAP identifies a number of critical, can allow ourselves a slightly more optimistic additional and potential threats facing Baer’s outlook for this species, the situation has not Pochard (Table 1). Many of these are poorly changed significantly and the species remains close understood as little quantified data exists on the to extinction in the wild. This article updates causes of the species’s decline. However, the progress made since 2013 with conservation principal threats are thought to be habitat loss and planning and action, and looks forward to the degradation, particularly from drainage and rice critical issues that need to be addressed in the next cultivation, and unsustainable exploitation for food, 1–2 years. both of fledged birds and eggs. Disturbance may The most important development has been the also be significant at some sites; many wetlands in preparation of a Single Species Action Plan (SSAP) China and in countries further south have large for Baer’s Pochard and the establishment of a Task human populations living in close proximity, and Force under the East Asian – Australasian Flyway many of these communities make direct use of these Partnership (EAAFP) to oversee its implementation. wetlands, particularly for harvesting food or for The SSAP brings together existing knowledge about transport. the species and the threats it faces, and sets out It is thought probable that habitat loss and actions that need to be taken in order to address degradation was the main cause of decline during these threats and restore the species to a favourable earlier decades (up to the 1990s), but that more conservation status. It also provides a basis for recently the harvesting of birds and eggs for food engagement with the countries where the species may have become a more significant factor. occurs (range states) and others able to positively However, little quantitative or causal information influence the effectiveness of conservation actions. exists for these factors, so their relative importance This SSAP was adopted by the EAAFP in January in the decline of Baer’s Pochard cannot currently 2015 at their eighth Meeting of Parties and will be be fully determined. There is also little information published shortly by EAAFP and the Convention with which to determine whether the major threats on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild are operating predominantly on the breeding or Animals (CMS). Implementation of the actions has wintering areas, or at stop-over or moulting sites. yet to begin in earnest, but the EAAFP Baer’s It is probable that they are having impacts Plate 1. Male Baer’s Pochard Aythya baeri with Philippine Duck Anas luzonica, Candaba, Pampanga, Philippines, February 2015. TONJI RAMOS BirdingAsia24B.p65 78 1/5/2016, 9:48 AM BirdingASIA 24 (2015) 79 harvesting in China, this may explain why the species seems to have experienced such a catastrophic decline in numbers compared with the other migratory East Asian ducks. But it is important to note, however, that count data for most East Asian ducks are insufficient to quantify population trends, and some other duck species, such as the East Asian population of Garganey Anas querquedula, are also believed to be declining rapidly (P. Round pers. comm.). Other threats, and threats in countries to the south of China where the species winters, or formerly wintered, are even less well known. However, it is believed that the two threats mentioned above are the most critical. In order to avert the extinction of Baer’s Pochard in the wild, action is urgently needed to address both these factors, as well as determine more precisely the YANN MUZIKA Plate 2. Male Baer’s Pochard, Tokyo, January 2015. The dark nature of all threats faced by the species (Table 1). green of the head shows best in bright light. One of the most disturbing facts highlighted in 2012–2013 was just how few Baer’s Pochard were throughout the flyway, particularly in China. seen in the wild, either in the breeding season or Recently, mainly since the 1960s, habitat loss and the wintering range. In 2012–2013, surveys and degradation has occurred on a massive scale in searches in China, focused on the central and lower north-east China and in the Yangtze floodplain, and Yangtze, located only 43 individuals. Since then, harvesting of birds and eggs is thought to be however, greater awareness of the importance of widespread in these regions, particularly in the last looking for Baer’s Pochard and reporting all 10–15 years. Thus, it would seem quite possible sightings has resulted in an improved that the long-term decline has been caused (at least understanding of the number of birds remaining; a in part) by habitat loss, and the recent apparent coordinated waterbird census of the central and increase in the rate of decline may be due to the lower Yangtze in January 2015, organised by WWF additional effect of over-harvesting of what is now China (Wuhan office), located 125 individuals, half a small and localised population. of which were at Chong Hu in Hubei province. At It is notable that compared to most other the same time, about 105 individuals were known migratory ducks in East Asia, Baer’s Pochard has to be wintering at other Chinese sites, including a more southerly distribution, with a large 84 at Taibai Hu in Shandong province, and with a proportion of its breeding range in China rather few reports from elsewhere the final total was 238 than Russia. Given the extent of habitat loss and birds (Table 2). Table 1. The importance of threats at country level (from EAAFP/CMS Baer’s Pochard SSAP). Key: Range states: BA: Bangladesh, CN: China, DPRK: Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, IN: India, MY: Myanmar, ROK: Republic of Korea, RU: Russia, TW: Taiwan, TH: Thailand, VN: Vietnam. Threat status: H: High, M: Medium, L: Low, U: Unknown. Breeding range Wintering range CN RU BA CN DPRK IN MY ROK TW TH VN Critical threats Habitat loss and degradation H M M H MMMMMMM Unsustainable harvesting HLLHULMLLLU Additional threats Inadequate site protection and management H M M H MMMMMMM Disturbance and recreation MLMH MMMMMMM Lack of awareness HH HHHHHHHHH Policy obstacles HMMH MMMMMMM Potential threats Hybridisation U L n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Pesticides and fertilisers HLUHUUMUUUU BirdingAsia24B.p65 79 1/5/2016, 9:48 AM 80 The troubled Baer’s Pochard Aythya baeri: cause for a little optimism? Table 2. Peak counts of Baer’s Pochard at known wintering sites in 2014–2015. Country Province Site Date (of peak count) Count (males/females) China Hubei Longgan Hu 1 January 2015 3 (3/0) China Hubei Zhangdu Hu 13 January 2015 19 (8/11) China Hubei Wang Hu 11 January 2015 3 China Hubei Hong Hu 14 January 2015 2 China Hubei Chong Hu, Gong’an 16 January 2015 68 China Jiangxi Poyang Hu 16 January 2015 30 China Shandong Taibai Hu, Jining Decembe5 2014 to January 2015 84 China Tianjin Beidagang mid-January to mid-March 2015 18 (17/1) China Yunnan Songming, Kunming 22 January 2015 1 China Guangdong Zhanjiang mid-January 2015 5 India Assam Tinsukia 31 January 2015 3 (3/0) Myanmar Katchin Indawgyi Lake January 2015 1 (0/1) Philippines Pampanga Candaba Marsh 31 January 2015 1 (1/0) Total 238 This is of course an improvement on 2012– in summer, sightings since 2012 have been less 2013, but remains significantly lower than the regular. Eight sites are known to have held one or number of birds known to be wintering in the more birds between May and August, but none central and lower Yangtze in 2010–2011, despite have been occupied in more than two of the last an increase in search effort. However, even with four years (2012–2015). However, more this increased effort, there is still every chance that information is needed on when birdwatchers have birds are being overlooked at wintering sites and visited these sites; currently it is not possible to so continued searches by birdwatchers in any determine whether the apparent lack of birds relates possible areas, as well as those locations known to an actual lack of birds or a lack of surveys. to have recently held wintering birds, are essential (see below). Readers: if you have visited these parts of China There can be no doubt that not all breeding during the last four years (2012–2015) please will sites are known. The winter counts confirm that you send details of locations and date of visit(s), there are more than 200 birds in the population; even if no Baer’s Pochard were seen. Email: however, relatively few of these can be accounted [email protected] for during the breeding season. In the past three years it has become clear that the most important One additional exciting development is that in known breeding site is Hengshui Hu, in China’s 2014 birdwatchers in Hubei province discovered a Hebei province, where in recent breeding seasons significant new breeding site near Huangpi, Wuhan around 20–30 birds have been seen in spring and (see pages 84–86).
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