Birds
The Lower Mekong Basin is critically important for a number of globally-threatened waterbird species. These wetlands are believed to support one Globally Critically Endangered species, 4 Globally Endangered species and 10 species classified as Vulnerable. Over 20 species are listed on various Appendices of CITES. Ranked by geopolitical units (210) according to the number of threatened species, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia are ranked as 10th, 12th, 27th and 37th most important countries for bird conservation in the world, although not all such species are wetland species.
Globally important endangered species
The Critically Endangered Giant Ibis Pseudibis gigantea, long thought to be extinct, was re-discovered in 1993 along the Xe Kong floodplain in southern Laos. Small nongs and traepangs, along the Xe Kong in Attepeu Province in southern Laos and near the Se San and Srepok Rivers in Stoeng Treng, are vitally important for this species. The total world population of this species may be less than 100 individuals.
The population of the Globally Endangered White-winged Duck Cairina scutulata in southern Lao and northern Cambodia is one of the largest remaining in the world.
The Globally Endangered Greater Adjutant Leptoptilos dubius and White-shouldered Ibis Pseudibis davisoni occur in the dipterocarp forest and wetland mosaic of northern Cambodian and southern Lao PDR. These areas are also vital for the Globally Vulnerable Green Peafowl Pavo muticus.
The Globally Endangered Bengal Florican Houbaropsis bengalensis is found in Tram Chim on the Plain of Reeds and in the seasonally flooded grasslands of Lake Tonle Sap. Similar habitats are important for Globally Threatened -Vulnerable Sarus Crane Grus antigone, which in the wet season migrates to northern Cambodia and southern Lao to seek out non-flooded grasslands.
Globally Vulnerable species relying on the riverine habitats of the Mekong and its larger tributaries include the Indian Skimmer Rynchops albicollis and Black-bellied Tern Sterna acuticauda.
Other Globally Vulnerable species depending on a variety of wetland habitats in the Lower Mekong Basin include the Masked Finfoot Heliopais personata, Pallas's Fish-Eagle Haliaeetus leucoryphus, Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga, Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis, Milky Stork Mycteria cinerea and the Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus.
A list of endangered, threatened bird and protected bird species reliant on wetlands is provided below in Table 2.
Table 2: Globally threatened species of birds dependant upon wetlands in the Lower Mekong Basin
English Name
|
Species
|
Global Status
|
CITES Appendix
|
Giant Ibis
|
Pseudibis gigantea
|
GT-CR
|
|
Greater Adjutant
|
Leptoptilos dubius
|
GT-EN
|
|
White-shouldered Ibis
|
Pseudibis papillosa davisoni
|
GT-EN
|
|
White-winged Duck
|
Cairina scutulata
|
GT-EN
|
1
|
Bengal Florican
|
Houbaropsis bengalensis
|
GT-EN
|
1
|
Nordmann's Greenshank
|
Tringa guttifer
|
GT- EN
|
1
|
Spot-billed Pelican
|
Pelecanus philippensis
|
GT-VU
|
|
Milky Stork
|
Mycteria cinerea
|
GT-VU
|
1
|
Lesser Adjutant
|
Leptoptilos javanicus
|
GT-VU
|
|
Greater Spotted Eagle
|
Aquila clanga
|
GT-VU
|
2
|
Green Peafowl
|
Pavo muticus
|
GT-VU
|
2
|
Masked Finfoot
|
Heliopais personata
|
GT-VU
|
|
Black-bellied Tern
|
Sterna acuticauda
|
GT-VU
|
|
Indian Skimmer
|
Rynchops albicollis
|
GT-VU
|
|
Oriental Darter
|
Anhinga melanogaster
|
G-NT
|
|
Great-billed Heron
|
Ardea sumatrana
|
G-NT
|
|
Painted Stork
|
Mycteria leucocephala
|
G-NT
|
|
Asian Openbill
|
Anastomus oscitans
|
G-NT
|
|
Black-headed Ibis
|
Threskiornis melanocephalus
|
G-NT
|
|
Grey-headed Fish-Eagle
|
Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus
|
G-NT
|
2
|
Sarus Crane
|
Grus antigone
|
G-NT
|
2
|
Grey-headed Lapwing
|
Vanellus cinereus
|
G-NT
|
|
Asian Dowitcher
|
Limnodromus semipalmatus
|
G-NT
|
|
Malaysian Plover
|
Charadrius peronii
|
G-NT
|
|
Asian Golden Weaver
|
Ploceus hypoxanthus
|
G-NT
|
|
Comb Duck
|
Sarkidiornis melanotos
|
|
2
|
Brahminy Kite
|
Haliastur indus
|
|
2
|
Greater Flamingo
|
Phoenicopterus ruber
|
|
2
|
Osprey
|
Pandion haliaetus
|
|
2
|
Black Kite
|
Milvus migrans lineatus
|
|
2
|
White-bellied Sea-Eagle
|
Haliaeetus leucogaster
|
|
2
|
Black-shouldered Kite
|
Elanus caeruleus
|
|
2
|
Western Marsh Harrier
|
Circus aeruginosus
|
|
2
|
Pied Harrier
|
Circus melanoleucos
|
|
2
|
Brown Fish Owl
|
Ketupa zeylonensis
|
|
2
|
Buffy Fish Owl
|
Ketupa ketupu
|
|
2
|
|