Tetrax tetrax

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	Gruiformes	Otididae

Scientific Name:

Tetrax tetrax

Species Authority:

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Little Bustard
Spanish	–	Sisón

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Near Threatened ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s

BirdLife International

Evaluator/s:

Burfield, I., Pople, R. (BirdLife International - European Division), Butchart, S. & Taylor, J. (BirdLife International Red List Authority)

Justification:
This species is listed as Near Threatened because it is probably experiencing a moderately rapid overall population decline, driven by rapid declines in the west of its range, owing mainly to habitat loss and degradation, as well as low-level hunting pressure. Recent increases in the east of its range are so far unquantified, and require further study. Such data may have implications for the overall population trend and listing of the species.

History:

2004	–	Near Threatened
2000	–	Lower Risk/near threatened
1994	–	Lower Risk/near threatened
1988	–	Threatened

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Tetrax tetrax has two widely separated breeding populations. In its eastern range it occurs in Russia (9,000 displaying males), Georgia (60 non-breeding individuals)⁶, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan (c.20,000 individuals), Ukraine (100-110 individuals¹), north-west China, northern Iran and Turkey (20-100 pairs²). Its western range covers Spain (43,000-71,700 individuals⁶, including 20,000-25,000 males⁵, down from 100,000-200,000 males in the 1990s) and Portugal (c.17,500 displaying males⁶), with smaller populations in Italy (1,515-2,220 individuals⁶), France (1,487-1,677 displaying males in 2004⁵) and Morocco. Eastern populations winter from Turkey and the Caucasus to Iran, and erratically elsewhere in south Asia, with Azerbaijan holding the main wintering quarters (over 150,000 individuals in 2005-2006⁷)⁶. Western populations winter in the Mediterranean zone, with the Iberian peninsula holding the most important wintering quarters (a minimum of 16,429-35-929 and 11,200 individuals in Spain and Portugal, respectively)⁶. The global population (excluding Kazakhstan) was estimated at a minimum of c.240,000 individuals in the late 1990s⁴, but it may be substantially lower than this, due to the re-evaluation of the size of the Spanish population⁸. Whilst it remains widespread and numerous, in some parts of its range it has declined dramatically since the 19th century, leading to extinctions in at least 11 European countries, Algeria, Tunisia and probably as a breeding bird in Azerbaijan. The species has now disappeared from mainland Italy, where it occurred in Apulia, and it is presently declining in France and Spain⁵. In Portugal, the population appears to be stable, and eastern populations are said to have increased in recent years⁶. The population in the Eurasian steppe belt is thought to have recovered due to an increase in fallow land during the transition process of the former Soviet Union⁷.
Countries:	Native: Armenia; Azerbaijan; China; France; Georgia; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Iraq; Israel; Italy; Kazakhstan; Kyrgyzstan; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Morocco; Pakistan; Portugal; Spain; Syrian Arab Republic; Tajikistan; Tunisia; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Ukraine Regionally extinct: Algeria; Austria; Bulgaria; Czech Republic; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Moldova; Montenegro; Poland; Serbia; Slovakia Vagrant: Belgium; Cyprus; Denmark; Finland; Ireland; Japan; Latvia; Lebanon; Luxembourg; Malta; Netherlands; Norway; Oman; Palestinian Territory, Occupied; Sweden; Switzerland; United Kingdom Present - origin uncertain: Afghanistan; Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; Romania; United Arab Emirates; Uzbekistan Presence uncertain: Croatia; India
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	The global population (excluding c.20,000 individuals in Kazakhstan) has been estimated at a minimum of c.240,000 individuals (C. Martínez in litt. 1999).

Population:

The global population (excluding c.20,000 individuals in Kazakhstan) has been estimated at a minimum of c.240,000 individuals (C. Martínez in litt. 1999).

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This species inhabits dry grassland and, in Europe, it also occurs in areas of low-intensity arable cultivation and pastoral land, selecting areas with a high diversity of ground cover such as mosaics of pasture, long-rotation fallow land and legume crops. Wintering birds in Azerbaijan prefer semi-desert and steppe areas under winter pasturing, and avoid areas of intensive agriculture⁷.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The primary cause of its decline has been conversion of dry grassland and low-intensity cultivation to intensive arable agriculture, especially where this has included the planting of monocultures or perennial crops, irrigation or afforestation. The fragmentation of traditional habitats, by means of agricultural intensification or infrastructure development, negatively affects habitat availability and quality for the species, as well as male density^6,8. The use of pesticides could reduce food availability⁶. This continues to be the primary threat and cause of continuing declines⁶. It also suffers from illegal hunting¹, although this is a minor threat⁵. The collision of birds with overhead powerlines is a locally important cause of mortality⁶. The release of farm-reared gamebirds could eventually introduce new pathogens to wild populations of T. tetrax⁶. In Azerbaijan, the main threats are disturbance from intensive land use (mainly heavy grazing), habitat loss to infrastructure development and probably hunting⁷.

Major Threat(s):

The primary cause of its decline has been conversion of dry grassland and low-intensity cultivation to intensive arable agriculture, especially where this has included the planting of monocultures or perennial crops, irrigation or afforestation. The fragmentation of traditional habitats, by means of agricultural intensification or infrastructure development, negatively affects habitat availability and quality for the species, as well as male density^6,8. The use of pesticides could reduce food availability⁶. This continues to be the primary threat and cause of continuing declines⁶. It also suffers from illegal hunting¹, although this is a minor threat⁵. The collision of birds with overhead powerlines is a locally important cause of mortality⁶. The release of farm-reared gamebirds could eventually introduce new pathogens to wild populations of T. tetrax⁶. In Azerbaijan, the main threats are disturbance from intensive land use (mainly heavy grazing), habitat loss to infrastructure development and probably hunting⁷.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation actions underway: CITES Appendix II. A European action plan was published in 2001⁶. The species has been the subject of several LIFE Nature projects in Portugal, Spain and France. Different methods of adjusting agri-environmental schemes to the species's ecological requirements were developed and tested⁹. The number of protected areas established in steppe habitats in those countries has increased. Conservation actions proposed: Carry out coordinated surveys to obtain an up-to-date estimate for the total population. Continue to conduct surveys to monitor population trends. Preserve habitat and alter land-use practices through EU and national policies. Work with land-owners to manage land favourably and reduce hunting. Reduce hunting pressure through awareness campaigns. Ensure fields with permanent cover on arable land through agri-environmental schemes using rotations and fallow land. Eliminate dangerous powerlines.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation actions underway:

CITES Appendix II. A European action plan was published in 2001⁶. The species has been the subject of several LIFE Nature projects in Portugal, Spain and France. Different methods of adjusting agri-environmental schemes to the species's ecological requirements were developed and tested⁹. The number of protected areas established in steppe habitats in those countries has increased.

Conservation actions proposed:

Carry out coordinated surveys to obtain an up-to-date estimate for the total population. Continue to conduct surveys to monitor population trends. Preserve habitat and alter land-use practices through EU and national policies. Work with land-owners to manage land favourably and reduce hunting. Reduce hunting pressure through awareness campaigns. Ensure fields with permanent cover on arable land through agri-environmental schemes using rotations and fallow land. Eliminate dangerous powerlines.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2008. Tetrax tetrax. In: IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 November 2009.
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