Threatened waterfowl and the TWSG
By Baz Hughes (Chair TWSG)

The TWSG was established in 1990 and is coordinated by The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), as part of the specialist group network of Wetlands International (formerly IWRB), and the IUCN Species Survival Commission.

The TWSG's aims are to identify which Anseriformes taxa are globally threatened, monitor their status, produce international action plans, and carry out and exchange information on conservation projects on globally threatened Anseriformes. To date, the TWSG has helped bring about about major advances in the conservation of many threatened waterfowl, such as the Hawaiian Goose, White headed Duck and White winged Duck. The TWSG has taken a leading role in producing the IUCN SSC Anatidae Action Plan, due for publication in 2001.

TWSG membership

Membership of the TWSG is free. In October 2000, the group had 838 members in 136 countries worldwide. We encourage members active in threatened waterfowl conservation to submit articles to the group's bulletin, to contribute to Action Plans and to take part in activities such as workshops and other international meetings. The most active members are also members of the IUCN SSC.

All members receive the group's annual bulletin, TWSG News. The bulletin disseminates new information on status and threats, promotes the exchange of information between conservationists in different countries, and encourages participation in threatened waterfowl conservation. Bodies receiving the newsletter include government departments, NGOs, academic institutions, commercial companies, zoos, captive breeders, environmental consultants, travel companies, publishers, environmental activists, other IUCN/SSC and Wetlands International Specialist Groups, and professional and private individuals with an interest in conservation.

http://www.wwt.org.uk/threatsp/twsg is the official website of the TWSG, and will shortly hold a database of threatened waterfowl experts.

The TWSG-Forum list-server provides a vehicle for the on- line exchange of information about globally threatened or near- threatened Anseriformes (ducks, geese, swans and screamers). To subscribe, e-mail Majordomo@wwt.org.uk with "subscribe twsg-forum" (without quotes) in the body of your e-mail message. To unsubscribe, simply replace the word "subscribe" with "unsubscribe". To circulate a message to all TWSG Forum members, send your message to: TWSG-Forum@wwt.org.uk
When submitting information please note that we may include such items in future issues of TWSG News.

If you wish to join please contact the Chair at the address below stating your name, address, telephone and fax numbers, E-mail address, and areas of special interest (both species/sub- species and countries). We look forward to hearing from you.

Contact information

Chair: Baz Hughes, The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, Slimbridge, Glos. GL2 7BT, UK.
Tel: +44 (0)1453 891916. Fax: +44 (0)1453 891901. E-mail: baz.hughes@wwt.org.uk

Regional Co-ordinator for Africa, Eurasia and the Middle-East: Andy Green,
Estación Biológica de Doñana, Avenida María Luisa s/n, Pabellón del Perú, 41013 Sevilla, Spain.
Tel: +34 5 4232340. Fax: +34 5 4621125. E-mail: andy@ebd.csic.es

Regional Co-ordinator for North America: Tom Rothe, Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game,
333 Raspberry Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99518-1599, USA.
Tel: +1 907 267 2206. Fax: +1 907 267 2433. E-mail: tomro@fishgame.state.ak.us

Regional Assistant Co-ordinator for Oceania: Murray Williams,
Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 10-420, Wellington, New Zealand.
Tel: +65 4 471 0726. Fax: +65 4 471 3279. E-mail: MWilliams@doc.govt.nz

Theatened Waterfowl Species and Subspecies

This is the categorisation for full species follows BirdLife International (2000), and for sub-species follows Callaghan et al. in prep.).

Species

CRITICALLY ENDANGERED

ENDANGERED

    White-headed duck, male
  • White-headed Duck (Oxyura leucocephala)
  • Swan Goose (Anser cygnoides)
  • White-winged Duck (Cairina scutulata)
  • Hawaiian Duck (Anas wyvilliana)
  • Meller's Duck (Anas melleri)
  • Madagascar Teal (Anas bernieri)
  • Brown Teal (Anas chlorotis)

VULNERABLE

LOW RISK (NEAR-THREATENED

  • Northern Screamer (Chauna chavaria)
  • Emperor Goose (Anser canagicus)
  • Blue-winged Goose (Cyanochen cyanopterus)
  • Orinoco Goose (Neochen jubata)
  • White-headed Steamer-duck (Tachyeres leucocephalus)
  • Hartlaub's Duck (Pteronetta hartlaubi)
  • Bronze-winged Duck (Anas specularis)
  • Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca)

Subspecies

CRITICALLY ENDANGERED

  • Borrero's Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera borreroi)

ENDANGERED

  • Madagascar White-backed Duck (Thalassornis leuconotus insularis)
  • New Zealand Grey Duck (Anas superciliosa superciliosa)
  • Tropical Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera tropica)
  • Andaman Teal (Anas gibberifrons albogularis)
  • Galapagos Pintail (Anas bahamensis galapagensis)
  • Crozet Islands Pintail (Anas eatoni drygalskii)
  • Colombian Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis andina)

VULNERABLE

  • Recherche Cape Barren Goose (Cereopsis novaehollandiae grisea)
  • Middendorf's Bean Goose (Anser fabalis middendorffi)
  • Thick-billed Bean Goose (Anser fabalis serrirostris)
  • Tule Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons gambeli)
  • Dusky Canada Goose (Branta canadensis occidentalis)
  • Peruvian Torrent Duck (Merganetta armata leucogenis)
  • Colombian Torrent Duck (Merganetta armata colombiana)
  • Australian Cotton Pygmy Goose (Nettapus coromandelianus albipennis)
  • Merida Teal (Anas andium altipetens)
  • Kerguelen Pintail (Anas eatoni eatoni)

LOW RISK (NEAR-THREATENED)

  • American Comb Duck (Sarkidiornis melanotus sylvatica)
  • Florida Duck (Anas fulvigula fulvigula)
  • Australian Black Duck (Anas superciliosa rogersi)
  • Lesser Grey Duck (Anas superciliosa pelewensis)
  • Andean Teal (Anas andium andium)
  • South Georgian Pintail (Anas georgica georgica)
  • South American Pochard (Netta erythropthalma)

REFERENCES

  1. BirdLife International 2000. Threatened Birds of the World. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona and Cambridge, UK.
  2. Callaghan, D.A. et al. In prep. Global Action Plan for the Conservation of Anseriformes (Ducks, Geese, Swans and Screamers). IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.

For more information, please contact
Baz Hughes, baz.hughes@wwt.org.uk