Research and Conservation Assessment of the threatened grey-hooded parrotbill at Wawu Shan in south-western Sichuan, China

Bi Zhonglin

The small, fragmented population of grey-hooded parrotbills of Wawu Shan in Southwestern China is declining due to forest loss through logging, conversion to agriculture and localized tourist development. The small number of localities for this species and its highly localized distribution suggest that is could have a small total population—little breeding information about this species is known. One a reconnaissance mission in May of 2002, the team found two flocks of grey-Hooded parrotbill in Wawu Shan and a nest of the bird—the first ever seen. There is an urgent need to classify habitat requirements and population status of this species, and to determine the extent to which habitat is being reduced or fragmented. This project will investigate the population and habitat status of this threatened bird species and the impacts of tourism. Fieldwork on the grey-hooded parrotbill will give detailed information on the species, illustrating the extent to which local tourism has affected it, and provide recommendations to guide tourism development and management in the area.