Javan Green Magpie
CR

Javan Green Magpie

Cissa thalassina

Declining

Photo: Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

Overview

The Javan green magpie is a passerine bird in the crow family, Corvidae, endemic to montane forests on the island of Western Java, Indonesia. This critically endangered species was once more widespread, but it has suffered significant population declines due to habitat loss and illegal capture for the wild animal trade.

The Javan Green Magpie faces catastrophic population decline primarily due to extensive trapping for the illegal bird trade, where its striking turquoise plumage makes it highly sought after. Habitat destruction through deforestation and agricultural conversion has eliminated much of its lowland forest range across Java. The species has experienced one of the most dramatic declines of any Asian bird, with wild populations now critically fragmented and potentially numbering fewer than 50 individuals.

Threat summary

Habitat

The Javan Green Magpie inhabits lowland and hill forests up to 1,000 meters elevation, preferring dense primary and secondary forests with thick canopy cover. It requires large territories within continuous forest blocks and is particularly associated with areas near water sources and fruit-bearing trees.

Forest· majorForest - Subtropical/tropical moist montane· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSpecies recoveryEx-situ conservationAwareness & communicationsCompliance and enforcement

Other threatened species in CORVIDAE

VU

Yellow-billed Magpie

Pica nutalli

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Collared Crow

Corvus pectoralis

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Pinyon Jay

Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus

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VU

Florida Scrub-jay

Aphelocoma coerulescens

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Threatened in Indonesia

EN

Speckle-faced Bent-toed Gecko

Cyrtodactylus psarops

Unknown
Acropora hemprichiiEN

Acropora hemprichii

Declining
VU

Bacan Myzomela

Myzomela batjanensis

Declining
VU

Hopea coriacea

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Javan Green Magpie classified as Critically Endangered?
Javan Green Magpie is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The Javan Green Magpie faces catastrophic population decline primarily due to extensive trapping for the illegal bird trade, where its striking turquoise plumage makes it highly sought after. Habitat destruction through deforestation and agricultural conversion has eliminated much of its lowland forest range across Java. The species has experienced one of the most dramatic declines of any Asian bird, with wild populations now critically fragmented and potentially numbering fewer than 50 individuals.
Where does Javan Green Magpie live?
Javan Green Magpie occurs in Indonesia. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Javan Green Magpie?
The main threats to Javan Green Magpie are 1.1, 2.1, 3.2, and 5.1. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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