Vanellus gregarius

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	CHARADRIIFORMES	CHARADRIIDAE

Scientific Name:

Vanellus gregarius

Species Authority:

(Pallas, 1771)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Sociable Lapwing, Sociable Plover
French	–	Vanneau sociable

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Critically Endangered A3bcd+4bcd ver 3.1

Year Published:

2010

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Calvert, R., Symes, A., Butchart, S.

Contributor/s:

Sheldon, R., Kamp, J., Donald, P., Tavares, J., Koshkin, M., Al-Jbour, S., Morozov, V., Balkiz, O., Hofland, R., Khrokov, V.

Justification:
This species is listed as Critically Endangered because its population has undergone a very rapid reduction, for reasons that are poorly understood; this decline is projected to continue and increase in the future. Recent fieldwork in Kazakhstan (and counts in Turkey and the Middle East) has shown the population to be substantially larger than previously feared, and further research may show that the species warrants downlisting to a lower category of threat.

History:

2009	–	Critically Endangered
2008	–	Critically Endangered
2006	–	Critically Endangered
2004	–	Critically Endangered
2000	–	Vulnerable
1996	–	Vulnerable
1994	–	Vulnerable

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Vanellus gregarius breeds in northern and central Kazakhstan and south-central Russia (and, at least formerly, Xinjiang province, western China²⁷), dispersing through Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey and Egypt, to key wintering sites in Israel, Eritrea, Sudan (see below) and north-west India (e.g. 45 birds in the Little Rann of Kutch in November 2007 ¹⁷ and 30 at Great Rann of Kutch in November 2008²¹). Birds winter occasionally in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Oman and UAE. The species has suffered a very rapid decline and range contraction. In northern Kazakhstan, a decline of 40% during 1930-1960, was followed by a further halving of numbers during 1960-1987. Recent fieldwork has shown the population to be larger than once feared. Surveys in 2006 in Kazakhstan counted 376 breeding pairs in an area of 145,000 km². Extrapolating this population density across the breeding range yields a possible total population size of 5,600 breeding pairs¹¹, i.e. 11,200 mature individuals; but work is continuing in order to refine this estimate. A satellite-tagged bird from central Kazakhstan was located in Turkey in October 2007 in a flock of 3,200 individuals^13,22, even larger than the total of simultaneous counts of over 1,500, maybe as high as 2,000, in northern Syria and 1,000 individuals in south-eastern Turkey in March 2007^1,16,24. Two tagged birds were then tracked to wintering quarters in Sudan in February 2008¹⁸, indicating that the sites in the Middle East are used for stopping over en route to Africa. Two further individuals, including one in far eastern Kazakhstan, were tagged in 2008¹³. Surveys in September 2009 confirmed the importance of the Manych depression in south Russia as a stopover site with estimates of up to 2,000 individuals²⁶.
Countries:	Native: Afghanistan; Armenia; Azerbaijan; Georgia; India; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Iraq; Israel; Jordan; Kazakhstan; Kyrgyzstan; Lebanon; Oman; Pakistan; Palestinian Territory, Occupied; Qatar; Russian Federation; Russian Federation; Saudi Arabia; Sri Lanka; Syrian Arab Republic; Tajikistan; Turkey; Turkmenistan; United Arab Emirates; Uzbekistan Possibly extinct: Cameroon; Central African Republic; Chad; Eritrea; Ethiopia; Sudan Vagrant: Austria; Bahrain; Belarus; Belgium; Bulgaria; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Egypt; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Ireland; Italy; Kuwait; Luxembourg; Maldives; Malta; Mongolia; Morocco; Netherlands; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Seychelles; Slovakia; Slovenia; Somalia; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; United Kingdom; Yemen
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Surveys in 2006 in Kazakhstan estimated 376 breeding pairs in an area of 145,000 km². Extrapolating this population density across the breeding range yields a possible total population size of 5,600 breeding pairs (Sheldon et al. 2006), i.e. 11,200 mature individuals; but work is continuing in order to refine this estimate. This total is consistent with record counts of 3,200 individuals in Turkey in October 2007 (Anon. 2007).
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Population:

Surveys in 2006 in Kazakhstan estimated 376 breeding pairs in an area of 145,000 km². Extrapolating this population density across the breeding range yields a possible total population size of 5,600 breeding pairs (Sheldon et al. 2006), i.e. 11,200 mature individuals; but work is continuing in order to refine this estimate. This total is consistent with record counts of 3,200 individuals in Turkey in October 2007 (Anon. 2007).

Population Trend:

Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Behaviour This species is migratory¹⁹. It breeds semi-colonially in small groups of 3-20 pairs¹⁹ from mid-April until July, and begins the migration south in August or September¹⁹ (occasionally as late as October¹³). Flocks of several thousand birds have been known to gather before migration in Siberia and Kazakhstan^13,20, but migration itself usually occurs in small groups of 15-20 birds^19,20. In Syria, it arrives yearly around mid-February to late March, and again in Autumn²⁴. It arrives on its wintering grounds in India and Pakistan by September-October, and in Sudan by late October¹⁹. Small flocks of similar size to those observed on migration are usual on the wintering grounds²⁰, although very occasionally larger flocks of over 100 birds have been recorded²⁰. It departs the wintering grounds in March or early April, arriving on its breeding range from mid April¹⁹. Habitat Breeding It breeds mainly in the transition zones between Stipa and Artemisia grassland steppes where bare saline areas occur near water-bodies. It uses dry wasteland, cultivated, ploughed and stubble fields¹⁹. Nests are preferentially placed in areas of Artemisia where there is a high dung abundance and vegetation is short⁹. Steppes that are densely vegetated may be avoided²⁰, however areas with a low percentage of bare ground and high percentage of tall vegetation are preferred by chicks, and may be important for providing cover from predators⁹. It has been postulated that it evolved to nest in habitats created by migratory saiga Saiga tatarica^{e.g. 9}, but this is unlikely given the timing of Saiga movements relative to Sociable Lapwing breeding, the speed with which they pass through areas, and the very short swards favoured by the birds; nevertheless Saiga grazing combined with fires may have promoted optimal habitat¹⁵. Suitable habitat probably occurred naturally in sparsely vegetated solonchaks and areas recently burnt by steppe fires, but are now most abundant in the periphery of villages, at least in central Kazakhstan¹⁰. Around such villages, there is a strong positive correlation between grazing intensity and the density of nests²⁵. Non-breeding On migration it uses mainly sandy plains with short grass, dry meadows, fallow land and cultivated fields¹⁹. The wintering grounds are burnt steppe and savannah, dry plains, sandy wastes, harvested millet fields, damp pastures and short grass areas, often adjacent to water¹⁹. In Arabia it often occurs in the desert near the coast¹⁹. Diet It feeds chiefly on insects including Orthoptera, Coleoptera, and moth larvae¹⁹. It also takes arachnids and frequently small amounts of plant matter including grains, leaves and flowers¹⁹. Small stones are often found in the stomach, occasionally along with the remains of small vertebrate bones and mollusc shells¹⁹. The diet is more varied during the breeding season, being limited mainly to orthopterans and other insects during the non-breeding season¹⁹. Breeding site The nest is a scrape that is unlined or lined with plant material, pebbles and debris¹⁹. It is usually found on bare saline patches or in short vegetation near to water¹⁹. Nest survival during the egg stage varies between years, owing to varying levels of predation by fox Vulpes vulpes, polecat, long-eared hedgehog and souslik species, and trampling by cattle, and in particular, sheep and goats¹⁰.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

Behaviour This species is migratory¹⁹. It breeds semi-colonially in small groups of 3-20 pairs¹⁹ from mid-April until July, and begins the migration south in August or September¹⁹ (occasionally as late as October¹³). Flocks of several thousand birds have been known to gather before migration in Siberia and Kazakhstan^13,20, but migration itself usually occurs in small groups of 15-20 birds^19,20. In Syria, it arrives yearly around mid-February to late March, and again in Autumn²⁴. It arrives on its wintering grounds in India and Pakistan by September-October, and in Sudan by late October¹⁹. Small flocks of similar size to those observed on migration are usual on the wintering grounds²⁰, although very occasionally larger flocks of over 100 birds have been recorded²⁰. It departs the wintering grounds in March or early April, arriving on its breeding range from mid April¹⁹. Habitat Breeding It breeds mainly in the transition zones between Stipa and Artemisia grassland steppes where bare saline areas occur near water-bodies. It uses dry wasteland, cultivated, ploughed and stubble fields¹⁹. Nests are preferentially placed in areas of Artemisia where there is a high dung abundance and vegetation is short⁹. Steppes that are densely vegetated may be avoided²⁰, however areas with a low percentage of bare ground and high percentage of tall vegetation are preferred by chicks, and may be important for providing cover from predators⁹. It has been postulated that it evolved to nest in habitats created by migratory saiga Saiga tatarica^{e.g. 9}, but this is unlikely given the timing of Saiga movements relative to Sociable Lapwing breeding, the speed with which they pass through areas, and the very short swards favoured by the birds; nevertheless Saiga grazing combined with fires may have promoted optimal habitat¹⁵. Suitable habitat probably occurred naturally in sparsely vegetated solonchaks and areas recently burnt by steppe fires, but are now most abundant in the periphery of villages, at least in central Kazakhstan¹⁰. Around such villages, there is a strong positive correlation between grazing intensity and the density of nests²⁵. Non-breeding On migration it uses mainly sandy plains with short grass, dry meadows, fallow land and cultivated fields¹⁹. The wintering grounds are burnt steppe and savannah, dry plains, sandy wastes, harvested millet fields, damp pastures and short grass areas, often adjacent to water¹⁹. In Arabia it often occurs in the desert near the coast¹⁹. Diet It feeds chiefly on insects including Orthoptera, Coleoptera, and moth larvae¹⁹. It also takes arachnids and frequently small amounts of plant matter including grains, leaves and flowers¹⁹. Small stones are often found in the stomach, occasionally along with the remains of small vertebrate bones and mollusc shells¹⁹. The diet is more varied during the breeding season, being limited mainly to orthopterans and other insects during the non-breeding season¹⁹. Breeding site The nest is a scrape that is unlined or lined with plant material, pebbles and debris¹⁹. It is usually found on bare saline patches or in short vegetation near to water¹⁹. Nest survival during the egg stage varies between years, owing to varying levels of predation by fox Vulpes vulpes, polecat, long-eared hedgehog and souslik species, and trampling by cattle, and in particular, sheep and goats¹⁰.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Key factors explaining the magnitude of declines remain poorly understood, despite much recent research. On the breeding grounds, it was probably formerly threatened by the conversion of steppe to arable cultivation, plus, perhaps less likely, the reduction in grazing by large herds of native ungulates and, latterly, by the loss of the enormous herds of domestic grazing animals from state-sponsored collective farms^4,9. However, since the collapse of the Soviet Union, large areas of arable cultivation have been abandoned and are reverting to natural steppe habitat, herds of domestic livestock have become concentrated around villages (where their permanent presence leads to shorter swards than were created by the vast herds that grazed semi-nomadically under the Soviet system), while an increase in fires (owing to reduced control of fires) may also have contributed to an increase in suitable habitat. These factors may be behind the possible increase in numbers (at least in parts of Kazakhstan) in recent years^10,9. Concentration of nests in heavily grazed areas in the vicinity of villages may have increased threats from human disturbance and trampling by sheep, goats and possibly other livestock^9,10. Nest predation by Rooks Corvus frugilegus - which have expanded widely into the breeding range with the plantation of networks of shelter-belts² - was previously suggested as a cause of declines, but data from central Kazakhstan indicate this is unlikely^9,10. Illegal hunting during migration and on the wintering grounds may now be the primary threat^10,23. The species may be affected by the increasingly dry climate in its breeding and wintering range, but it is not clear if this benefits or threatens this semi-desert species⁹.

Major Threat(s):

Key factors explaining the magnitude of declines remain poorly understood, despite much recent research. On the breeding grounds, it was probably formerly threatened by the conversion of steppe to arable cultivation, plus, perhaps less likely, the reduction in grazing by large herds of native ungulates and, latterly, by the loss of the enormous herds of domestic grazing animals from state-sponsored collective farms^4,9. However, since the collapse of the Soviet Union, large areas of arable cultivation have been abandoned and are reverting to natural steppe habitat, herds of domestic livestock have become concentrated around villages (where their permanent presence leads to shorter swards than were created by the vast herds that grazed semi-nomadically under the Soviet system), while an increase in fires (owing to reduced control of fires) may also have contributed to an increase in suitable habitat. These factors may be behind the possible increase in numbers (at least in parts of Kazakhstan) in recent years^10,9. Concentration of nests in heavily grazed areas in the vicinity of villages may have increased threats from human disturbance and trampling by sheep, goats and possibly other livestock^9,10. Nest predation by Rooks Corvus frugilegus - which have expanded widely into the breeding range with the plantation of networks of shelter-belts² - was previously suggested as a cause of declines, but data from central Kazakhstan indicate this is unlikely^9,10. Illegal hunting during migration and on the wintering grounds may now be the primary threat^10,23. The species may be affected by the increasingly dry climate in its breeding and wintering range, but it is not clear if this benefits or threatens this semi-desert species⁹.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway CMS Appendix I and II. An international species action plan was published in 2004. It is legally protected in Armenia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, but this is generally not enforced⁶. An intensive research project at the breeding sites in central Kazakhstan has been running since 2004, and includes surveys in north and east Kazakhstan^3,9. A survey of historical breeding sites in the South Urals was conducted in 2005⁷ and another at passage sites in south-west Russia was carried out in 2006¹². Coordinated counts were undertaken at key passage/wintering sites in Syria and Turkey in March 2007¹. Satellite-tags have been placed on birds in central Kazahstan, one of which was tracked to Turkey in October 2007¹³. Conservation Actions Proposed Continue research in Kazakhstan (and initiate in Russia) on breeding biology, habitat requirements and migration, including colour-ringing and satellite tracking to determine movements. Continue surveys of breeding range in Kazakhstan, potential breeding range in Russia and western China, and wintering/passage sites in Middle East and Africa (including determining periods when birds are present). Continue to monitor trends on breeding grounds and at key passage/winter sites. Identify and evaluate key threats on breeding, passage and wintering grounds. Investigate the importance of hunting on passage/wintering grounds. Review International Species Action Plan in the light of recent research on the breeding grounds and identification of key passage/wintering sites. Develop national species action plans, at least for Kazakhstan and key passage/wintering countries. At breeding colonies sensitive to trampling by sheep during nesting period, work with local shepherds to minimise disturbance. Control hunting on wintering/passage sites.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
CMS Appendix I and II. An international species action plan was published in 2004. It is legally protected in Armenia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, but this is generally not enforced⁶. An intensive research project at the breeding sites in central Kazakhstan has been running since 2004, and includes surveys in north and east Kazakhstan^3,9. A survey of historical breeding sites in the South Urals was conducted in 2005⁷ and another at passage sites in south-west Russia was carried out in 2006¹². Coordinated counts were undertaken at key passage/wintering sites in Syria and Turkey in March 2007¹. Satellite-tags have been placed on birds in central Kazahstan, one of which was tracked to Turkey in October 2007¹³.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Continue research in Kazakhstan (and initiate in Russia) on breeding biology, habitat requirements and migration, including colour-ringing and satellite tracking to determine movements. Continue surveys of breeding range in Kazakhstan, potential breeding range in Russia and western China, and wintering/passage sites in Middle East and Africa (including determining periods when birds are present). Continue to monitor trends on breeding grounds and at key passage/winter sites. Identify and evaluate key threats on breeding, passage and wintering grounds. Investigate the importance of hunting on passage/wintering grounds. Review International Species Action Plan in the light of recent research on the breeding grounds and identification of key passage/wintering sites. Develop national species action plans, at least for Kazakhstan and key passage/wintering countries. At breeding colonies sensitive to trampling by sheep during nesting period, work with local shepherds to minimise disturbance. Control hunting on wintering/passage sites.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2010. Vanellus gregarius. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 24 May 2012.
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