Emberiza cineracea

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	PASSERIFORMES	EMBERIZIDAE

Scientific Name:

Emberiza cineracea

Species Authority:

Brehm, 1855

Common Name/s:

English	–	Cinereous Bunting
French	–	Bruant cendré

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Near Threatened ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Burfield, I., Butchart, S., Pople, R.

Contributor/s:

Balkiz, O., Walther, B.

Justification:
This poorly known migratory species is classified as Near Threatened because its small population is suspected to be declining as a result of the conversion and degradation of its habitats. Improved information on its population size and trend may in due course lead to a reassessment of its status.

History:

2004

–

Near Threatened

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Emberiza cineracea breeds on the islands of Skyros³, Lesbos and Chios, Greece (115-305 pairs²), and western Turkey (race cineracea), as well as in south-east Turkey and south-west Iran (fewer than 100 pairs in the Zagros mountains; race semenowi). Statements regarding potential breeding in northern Syria and Iraq are of uncertain validity¹. The winter distribution remains poorly known, but includes Eritrea and Yemen, and potentially also Ethiopia, north-east Sudan and south-west Saudi Arabia (where records may solely relate to individuals on migration)^5,6. In addition, there are passage records along the species's two, well-separated migration routes: Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Palestinian Authority Territories and Egypt (predominantly race cineracea); and Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates and Oman (race semenowi). The Turkish breeding population - which at 2,500-7,500 pairs probably constitutes over 90% of the global population - was suspected to have declined by 0-19% during 1990-2000².
Countries:	Native: Bahrain; Cyprus; Egypt; Eritrea; Greece; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Iraq; Israel; Jordan; Kuwait; Lebanon; Palestinian Territory, Occupied; Qatar; Saudi Arabia; Sudan; Syrian Arab Republic; Turkey; United Arab Emirates; Yemen Vagrant: Denmark; Norway; Oman; Tunisia; Uzbekistan Present - origin uncertain: Ethiopia
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Based on estimates of 2,600-7,800 breeding pairs in Europe (BirdLife International 2004) and less than 100 pairs in Iran (Tucker and Heath 1994).
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	The species breeds on dry rocky slopes and uplands with shrubby vegetation and sometimes conifers. It is migratory, wintering in dry open country with short grass, semi-desert, low rocky hills, bare cultivated land and dry scrub, often in coastal areas. Migrating birds are regularly recorded in lowland agricultural land and semi-deserts.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Changes in grazing pressure by sheep and goats could affect the population size. High grazing pressure could result in the trampling of nests, whereas too little grazing could reduce the area of open feeding sites¹. Remaining habitat in western Turkey is being developed rapidly for tourism⁴. Suitable habitats in south-east Turkey have been flooded by dam construction, resulting both in direct habitat loss and the relocation of displaced villagers to new, currently unpopulated areas¹.

Major Threat(s):

Changes in grazing pressure by sheep and goats could affect the population size. High grazing pressure could result in the trampling of nests, whereas too little grazing could reduce the area of open feeding sites¹. Remaining habitat in western Turkey is being developed rapidly for tourism⁴. Suitable habitats in south-east Turkey have been flooded by dam construction, resulting both in direct habitat loss and the relocation of displaced villagers to new, currently unpopulated areas¹.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway The species is legally protected under Greek and Turkish law¹. One of the breeding sites on Lesbos is partially protected as a Natural Monument and Wildlife Refuge¹. An international action plan was published in 2003¹. The species's potential winter distribution has been modelled using GIS-based techniques⁵. Conservation Actions Proposed Survey suitable habitat within the putative wintering grounds^5,6. Develop a Species Action Plan. Develop a monitoring programme to assess population trends. Assess threats to the species and develop appropriate responses.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
The species is legally protected under Greek and Turkish law¹. One of the breeding sites on Lesbos is partially protected as a Natural Monument and Wildlife Refuge¹. An international action plan was published in 2003¹. The species's potential winter distribution has been modelled using GIS-based techniques⁵.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Survey suitable habitat within the putative wintering grounds^5,6. Develop a Species Action Plan. Develop a monitoring programme to assess population trends. Assess threats to the species and develop appropriate responses.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2008. Emberiza cineracea. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 24 May 2012.
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