Which EDGE species will you vote for : The Somali ostrich or the straw headed bulbul? (Poll)

Seventh poll on EDGE bird species: This time a contest between little and large: The Somali ostrich vs the straw headed bulbul.

Despite the size difference both species share the IUCN conservation status of "vulnerable" due to overexploitation by humans (for the songbird pet trade in the case of the bulbul and for meat in the case of the ostrich).





Which of these bird species interests you most / will you vote for ?

Please also feel free to write comments regarding why you made the choice and why the species you have voted for interests you more.

Thanks !

Look forward to seeing the results!

Photo credits to @Zooish and @lintworm.

 

This time I went with the straw-headed bulbul because despite the bushmeat trade and ranch farming being big ecological issues, the asian songbird crisis trumps them, at least from my (admittedly limited) perspective. Thankfully the Silent Forest group has recently brought awareness to the subject and has helped with conservation in SEA, but there is still much more to be done and the straw-headed bulbul isn’t even the most dire case. On a more personal note, I think they are very pretty little birds

 

Thank you for your comment and voting @Strix !

Interesting perspective, yes, the bushmeat trade if definitely a problem that has driven the decline of the ostrich and I'm sure that in the years to come this will continue to impact the species.

However, ranch farming of this species could be credited with ensuring that there is an adequate insurance population in captivity.

 

I could be very wrong and maybe someone will correct me but I believe one of the females currently residing at the Los Angeles Zoo is a Somali Ostrich. I voted for them because of seeing them at my local zoo but I’m ready to be corrected The males have that stark grey pigmentation of the neck that stands out so well and make them handsome!

 

I believe the straw-headed bulbul has been uplisted to Critically Endangered?

 

You’re correct! I was looking up the species on IUCN red list a minute ago and it was assessed as Critically Endangered in 2018

 

Thanks for that @Zooish !

My bad, yes , the straw headed bulbul is indeed a critically endangered species.

 

Thank you for your comment and vote @Julio C Castro !

I think you are right about that as I seem to remember seeing on their species list that they have Somali ostrich.

They are a striking species indeed I totally agree !

 

I hope I’m right because it’s certainly a privilege to see a specie not often seen in zoos but also is sad that it isn’t as it is more endangered compared to their main subspecies counterpart! They are the fancy ostrich in my opinion like they eat the most snobby Dijon mustard with their meals instead of the very palatable honey mustard

 

Yes, ranch farming helps the ostriches, but as I’m sure you are aware it is a big problem for ecosystems and biodiversity.

 

Well cattle ranching definitely but I have to admit my ignorance about ostrich farming and its impact on the environment.

 

Somali ostrich is considered VU(lnerable). I do believe given their small area of land distribution that may be an inaccurate description of their current status. Remember that the species may only be found in Ethiopia-Kenya-Somalia and Djibouti. Now a good part of their range is in conflict areas and in Ethiopia f.i. large parts of the rangelands are devoid of any wildlife. Only Kenya, is the happy exception there. The total numbers have not been quantified given the recent split off of Somali ostrich Struthio molybdophanes (assessment as per 2016/10)

Nonetheless, for now I have gone with the straw-necked bulbul - Silent Forest campaign S.E. Asia.

 

Thanks for your comment and vote @Kifaru Bwana !

Yes, I think it is quite worrying that the range of the ostrich is across so many politically unstable countries in ongoing insurgencies / conflicts and I have no doubt that this impacts the species.

 

Thats an interesting comment Julio !

I think that the Somali perhaps should be one of those species which could replace the common ostrich in many zoos.

 

I'd have to go with the bulbul. Besides the fact that it's more endangered, it has a more unique look - in fact, the Somali ostrich is so similar to the common ostrich that it was once thought to be a subspecies! The bulbul is also a beautiful little thing, and it's very cute.

 

This would not just be so in North America, true for European EAZA region too. I would hope before long it will be standard practice to either exhibit North African red Struthio camelus or Somali Struthio molybdophanes. Too many times, the idyllic (sorry, being a bit ... unhumorous) African savannahs in zoos are dotted with South African or even worse the crossbreed blacks that are the fashion model in ostrich farming.

Where ostrich farming does have value is in developing and optimising the techniques for husbandry, breeding, the brooding and hatchery tools. But this is at an environmental cost too ....

 

Thank you for your comment and voting @Kifaru Bwana !

I totally agree, I certainly hope that it will become a standard practice to keep this species / subspecies (in the case of North African red) in zoos too, but how likely do you think that this would be ?

I honestly don't know very much about the environmental impacts of ostrich farming at all, I have to admit that is a subject I am completely ignorant on.

What are the impacts of farming these birds on the environment?

 

Thank you for your comment and voting @dinosauria !

I voted for pretty much the same reason and because I have a thing about passerine birds and their conservation.

 

Looks like the straw headed bulbul won this poll !

Here is some fantastic footage of this beautiful species and its song in the wild to celebrate it winning the poll :