The current Cat II description refers to the status of the breeding population in HK. Red-billed Leiothrix is in Cat IIA which is defined as
Category IIA: southeast China breeding species, the currently established HK breeding population of which is considered to derive from captive stock, but which probably occurred in HK prior to habitat changes.
whereas Cat I does not refer to breeding and simply says
Category I: species that have been recorded in an apparently wild state in HK.
There is an issue here, that birds could be in both categories - summer breeders from an ex-captive stock and winter visitors from a wild stock.
If there has been an increase in numbers this winter from wild sources, as may be the case, then I guess these birds would have to stay to breed before the species could be re-classified to another category. Or there would have to be regular annual winter visitors from wild sources - difficult to prove.
Another headache for the Records Committee.
[ Last edited by wgeoff at 15/01/2013 07:18 ]
