Melanocorypha yeltoniensis
| Kingdom |
Phylum |
Class |
Order |
Family |
| ANIMALIA |
CHORDATA |
AVES |
PASSERIFORMES |
ALAUDIDAE |
| Scientific Name: |
Melanocorypha yeltoniensis |
| Species Authority: |
(Forster, 1767) |
|
Common Name/s:
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Assessment Information
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| Red List Category & Criteria: |
Least Concern
ver 3.1
|
| Year Published: |
2009 |
| Assessor/s: |
BirdLife International |
| Reviewer/s: |
Bird, J., Butchart, S. |
Justification:
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is very large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
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| History: |
| 2008 |
– |
Least Concern
|
| 2006 |
– |
Least Concern
|
| 2004 |
– |
Least Concern
|
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Geographic Range
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| Range Description: |
This species has a large global population, including an estimated 4,000-7,000 pairs in Europe, in south-eastern European Russia, which accounts for less than a quarter of its global range2. Populations in the most suitable habitat in central Kazakhstan have been estimated to be in the "hundreds of thousands, and maybe even millions of breeding pairs"1. Interpretation of the limited available information on population trends is complicated by the species's nomadic nature and large interannual fluctuations in abundance and distribution. The European population declined by 20-50% during 1970-1990, and over 50% during 1990-2000, as a result of steppe cultivation and overgrazing2,7. In the Volgograd Region (Russia and western Kazakhstan), there has been a steady decrease in the species's numbers from the mid-1960s to 20005. Spring surveys in the Uzen Limans area (western Kazakhstan) revealed declines exceeding 99% between 1985 and 19956. In parts of the Kostanay region (northern Kazakhstan), where the species was once widespread and numerous, its distribution and abundance have decreased noticeably over the past 25 years, and in 2005 large numbers were seen in only two areas3. However, in other areas of north-central Kazakhstan, the species was relatively common in 2005, especially in the taller steppe vegetation1,4. In summary, in Kazakhstan, the species appears to have a relatively stable population and is common in suitable habitats (although not dispersed evenly, with empty areas)8. In wintering areas in Uzbekistan, numbers are weather-dependent, but generally stable8.
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| Countries: |
Native:
Armenia; Azerbaijan; Georgia; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Kazakhstan; Kyrgyzstan; Moldova; Russian Federation; Russian Federation; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Ukraine; Uzbekistan
Vagrant:
Austria; Belgium; Bulgaria; Finland; Germany; Greece; Italy; Lebanon; Malta; Mongolia; Poland; Sweden
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| Range Map: |
Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.
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Population
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| Population: |
In Europe, the breeding population is estimated to number 4,000-7,000 breeding pairs, equating to 12,000-21,000 individuals (BirdLife International 2004). However, europe forms only 5-24% of the global range. Populations in the most suitable habitat in central Kazakhstan have been estimated to be in the "hundreds of thousands, and maybe even millions of breeding pairs" (Timothy Barabashin in litt. 2005).
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Habitat and Ecology
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| Major Threat(s): |
The species is threatened by the loss of steppe to cultivation and livestock farming (del Hoyo et al. 2004).
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