Endemic birds and protected area development on the Da Lat Plateau, Vietnam

Abstract

SummaryA study of Thuong Da Nhim and Chu Yang Sin Nature Reserves - identified as priority sites because located within the Da Lat Plateau Endemic Bird Area (EBA) in Vietnam -was conducted between 10 November 1993 and 1 February 1994. A total of 212 bird species, of which 11 are considered globally threatened (including the rediscovered Grey-crowned Crocias Crocias langbianis), were recorded in the reserves. Eight restricted-range species were recorded, including the four species confined to the EBA. These two reserves are of international importance because they jointly support bird communities representative of the EBA. They are also of great economic importance, being within watersheds. Their extent is believed adequate but it is not known if they encompass all representative habitats over the full altitudinal range. Local tribal communities traditionally practise shifting cultivation, which has greatly modified the extent, composition and quality of evergreen forest and is causing its increasing fragmentation. Deliberate fires are preventing the regeneration of evergreen forest and promoting the growth of a climax dominated by Pinus kesiya. This reduces bird diversity and compromises the future of the endemic bird taxa. Other threats include recent logging activities, human immigration, the urban expansion of Da Lat and consequent increasing demand for charcoal and fuelwood. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development should urgently proceed with the production of management plans for these areas, aiming to create a single, enlarged protected area. The primary land-use management strategy should be to conserve remaining areas of evergreen forest and to increase their extent by boundary realignment, elimination of shifting cultivation and fire, and the introduction of sympathetic forestry practices.

Population sizes, status and habitat associations of forest birds in Chu Yang Sin Nature Reserve, Dak Lak Province, Vietnam

“…Only Large Cuckooshrike was associated with coniferous trees, the possible reasons for which have been discussed earlier. Of six forest bird species identified as occurring predominantly in pine forests on the Da Lat Plateau by Eames (1995), only Green-backed Tit Parus monticolus was recorded in Chu Yang Sin Nature Reserve in the present survey, at only three survey stations. Most of the survey stations in the current study were in broadleaved evergreen forest (reflecting habitat composition of the nature reserve), and the pine areas studied were smaller and isolated.…”

“…Although the species also occurs in the Annamese Lowlands EBA to the north, the subspecies J. d. danjoui is endemic to the Da Lat Plateau (Eames 1995).…”

“…The southern part of this area is particularly rich in endemic bird species, and has been recognized as the Da Lat Plateau Endemic Bird Area (EBA), one of three EBAs in Vietnam (Stattersfield et al 1998). The area also appears to be an important centre of endemism for other taxa, including plants (Eames 1995).…”

“…In addition to these restricted-range species, a further 28 bird subspecies are endemic to the Da Lat Plateau EBA (Eames 1995), and 35 subspecies have a restricted range which includes the Dat Lat Plateau EBA. Of these endemic and restricted-range subspecies, 54 are represented at Chu Yang Sin.…”

“…However, human intervention has led to the replacement of much of this forest by a fire-climax forest dominated by Pinus kesiya, bamboo forest, and scrub (Eames 1995). At Chu Yang Sin Nature Reserve, only small areas of pine forest occur (mainly on ridgetops), with apparently little influence on the species composition of the reserve.…”