What's new (2010)

Chris Kelly

Spoon-billed Sandpiper was uplisted to Critically Endangered in the 2008 IUCN Red List update
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BirdLife International’s 2010 update of the IUCN Red List for birds follows the publication in 2008 of Threatened Birds of the World when all the world’s birds were comprehensively assessed against the IUCN Red List criteria. In 2010 a total of 10,027 species are recognised by BirdLife with the status of 113 species discussed on the Globally Threatened Bird discussion forums on BirdLife's website, resulting in the IUCN Red List category being revised for 37 species. In addition, a number of taxonomic changes were incorporated. The table below gives the totals in each IUCN Red List category since 2000. The relatively small net changes to the totals mask the fact that 226 species moved between categories in 2000-2004, 99 species in 2004-2005, 150 in 2005-2006, 81 in 2006-2007, 147 in 2007-2008, 78 in 2008-2009 and 99 in 2009-2010 (see below). These include category revisions owing to improved knowledge and taxonomic changes, as well as genuine changes in status. Therefore, it is difficult to interpret the changes in absolute totals. Instead, it is better to examine trends in the Red List Index, which shows graphically the net changes to the overall projected extinction risk of the world’s birds from 1988 to 2008.

Category	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
Extinct	129	131	135	135	134	133	132
Extinct in the Wild	4	4	4	4	4	4	4
Critically Endangered (incl. Possibly Extinct)	179 (18)	179 (17)	181 (16)	189 (15)	190 (15)	192(15)	190 (14)
Endangered	345	350	351	356	363	362	372
Vulnerable	689	679	674	672	669	669	678
Total Threatened	1,217	1,212	1,210	1,221	1,226	1,227	1,240
Near Threatened (incl. Conservation Dependent in 2000)	773	788	795	812	835	838	838
Least Concern	7,720	7,697	7,720	7,715	7,729	7,735	7,751
Data Deficient	78	78	74	73	66	65	62
Total	9,917	9,906	9,934	9,956	9,990	9,998	10,027

Species changing IUCN Red List

The table below lists all 99 species whose IUCN Red List category was revised in May 2010 for the 2010 IUCN Red List. An explanation of the category codes and 'Reason for change' terms follows the table. Of the 99 category changes, 9 resulted from a genuine change in the status of species (1 improvement versus 8 deteriorations), 28 were a result of improved knowledge (of the status of species or the threats impacting them) and 61 resulted from taxonomic revisions (either recently published or recently evaluated/re-evaluated by BirdLife). Full explanations for the taxonomic changes are given in the Taxonomic notes field on the species factsheets, which are available through the Datazone.

Common name	Scientific name	2009 RL category	2010 RL category	Reason for change
Wattled Curassow	Crax globulosa	VU	EN	Knowledge
Ocellated Quail	Cyrtonyx ocellatus	NT	VU	Knowledge
Swierstra's Francolin	Francolinus swierstrai	VU	EN	Knowledge
Japanese Quail	Coturnix japonica	LC	NT	Knowledge
Elliot's Pheasant	Syrmaticus ellioti	VU	NT	Knowledge
Hainan Peacock-pheasant	Polyplectron katsumatae	NR	EN	Taxonomy (newly split)
Andean Teal	Anas andium	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
African Penguin	Spheniscus demersus	VU	EN	Genuine (since first assessment)
Yellow-billed Loon	Gavia adamsii	LC	NT	Knowledge
Laysan Albatross	Phoebastria immutabilis	VU	NT	Knowledge
Chatham Albatross	Thalassarche eremita	CR	VU	Knowledge
White-throated Storm-petrel	Nesofregetta fuliginosa	VU	EN	Knowledge
Monteiro's Storm-petrel	Oceanodroma monteiroi	NR	VU	Taxonomy (newly split)
Alaotra Grebe	Tachybaptus rufolavatus	CR	EX	Knowledge
Tasman Booby	Sula tasmani	EX	NR	Taxonomy (no longer valid/recognised)
Saker Falcon	Falco cherrug	EN	VU	Knowledge
Black-eared Kite	Milvus lineatus	LC	NR	Taxonomy (no longer valid/recognised)
Black-and-chestnut Eagle	Spizaetus isidori	NT	VU	Knowledge
Ludwig's Bustard	Neotis ludwigii	LC	EN	Knowledge
Corncrake	Crex crex	NT	LC	Knowledge
Zapata Rail	Cyanolimnas cerverai	EN	CR	Genuine (recent)
Tristan Moorhen	Gallinula comeri	VU	NR	Taxonomy (no longer valid/recognised)
Black Crowned-crane	Balearica pavonina	NT	VU	Genuine (since first assessment)
Australian Painted Snipe	Rostratula australis	NR	EN	Taxonomy (newly split)
Madagascar Snipe	Gallinago macrodactyla	NT	VU	Knowledge
Far Eastern Curlew	Numenius madagascariensis	LC	VU	Genuine (since first assessment)
Great Knot	Calidris tenuirostris	LC	VU	Genuine (since first assessment)
Somali Courser	Cursorius somalensis	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Armenian Gull	Larus armenicus	LC	NR	Taxonomy (no longer valid/recognised)
Yellow-eared Parrot	Ognorhynchus icterotis	CR	EN	Genuine (since first assessment)
Torotoroka Scops-owl	Otus madagascariensis	LC	NR	Taxonomy (no longer valid/recognised)
Solomon Islands Frogmouth	Rigidipenna inexpectata	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Mees's Nightjar	Caprimulgus meesi	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Chimney Swift	Chaetura pelagica	LC	NT	Genuine (since first assessment)
White-tailed Trogon	Trogon chionurus	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Gartered Trogon	Trogon caligatus	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Ecuadorian Trogon	Trogon mesurus	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Kofiau Paradise-kingfisher	Tanysiptera ellioti	DD	EN	Knowledge
Sao Tome Kingfisher	Alcedo thomensis	LC	NR	Taxonomy (no longer valid/recognised)
Principe Kingfisher	Alcedo nais	LC	NR	Taxonomy (no longer valid/recognised)
Southern Ground-hornbill	Bucorvus cafer	LC	VU	Knowledge
Ochraceous Piculet	Picumnus limae	VU	LC	Knowledge
Great Slaty Woodpecker	Mulleripicus pulverulentus	LC	VU	Knowledge
Black-headed Pitta	Pitta ussheri	NR	NT	Taxonomy (newly split)
Yungas Tyrannulet	Phyllomyias weedeni	NR	VU	Taxonomy (newly described)
Choco Tyrannulet	Zimmerius albigularis	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Brownish-headed Antbird	Schistocichla brunneiceps	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Humaita Antbird	Schistocichla humaythae	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Rufous-faced Antbird	Schistocichla rufifacies	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Patagonian Forest Earthcreeper	Upucerthia saturatior	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Chestnut-winged Cinclodes	Cinclodes albidiventris	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Cream-winged Cinclodes	Cinclodes albiventris	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
White-bellied Cinclodes	Cinclodes palliatus	EN	CR	Knowledge
Carpentarian Grasswren	Amytornis dorotheae	NT	VU	Knowledge
Black-fronted Bush-shrike	Telophorus nigrifrons	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Mayotte Drongo	Dicrurus waldenii	EN	VU	Knowledge
Black-backed Monarch	Monarcha julianae	DD	VU	Knowledge
Somali Crow	Corvus edithae	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Black-bibbed Tit	Parus hypermelaenus	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Black-crested Tit	Parus melanolophus	LC	NR	Taxonomy (no longer valid/recognised)
Turkestan Tit	Parus bokharensis	LC	NR	Taxonomy (no longer valid/recognised)
Yellow-breasted Tit	Parus flavipectus	LC	NR	Taxonomy (no longer valid/recognised)
Black-headed Penduline-tit	Remiz macronyx	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Striated Swallow	Hirundo striolata	LC	NR	Taxonomy (no longer valid/recognised)
Agulhas Long-billed Lark	Certhilauda brevirostris	NT	NR	Taxonomy (no longer valid/recognised)
Benguela Long-billed Lark	Certhilauda benguelensis	LC	NR	Taxonomy (no longer valid/recognised)
Grey-headed Bulbul	Pycnonotus priocephalus	LC	NT	Knowledge
Bare-faced Bulbul	Pycnonotus hualon	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly described)
Hume's Bush-warbler	Cettia brunnescens	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Rusty-faced Babbler	Robsonius rabori	NT	VU	Taxonomy (newly split)
Grey-banded Babbler	Robsonius sorsogonensis	NR	VU	Taxonomy (newly split)
Sooty Babbler	Stachyris herberti	NT	LC	Knowledge
Nonggang Babbler	Stachyris nonggangensis	NR	NT	Taxonomy (newly described)
Togian White-eye	Zosterops somadikartai	NR	NT	Taxonomy (newly described)
Corsican Nuthatch	Sitta whiteheadi	LC	VU	Knowledge
Black-winged Starling	Sturnus melanopterus	EN	CR	Genuine (since first assessment)
Ecuadorian Thrush	Turdus maculirostris	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
White-bellied Blue Robin	Myiomela albiventris	NR	EN	Taxonomy (newly split)
Nilgiri Blue Robin	Myiomela major	VU	EN	Taxonomy (newly split)
Taiga Flycatcher	Ficedula albicilla	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Large Blue-flycatcher	Cyornis magnirostris	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Olive-bellied Double-collared Sunbird	Nectarinia fuelleborni	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Kenya Rufous-sparrow	Passer rufocinctus	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Socotra Sparrow	Passer insularis	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Abd 'Al Kuri Sparrow	Passer hemileucus	NR	VU	Taxonomy (newly split)
Shelley's Rufous-sparrow	Passer shelleyi	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Kordofan Rufous-sparrow	Passer cordofanicus	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Red-billed Quailfinch	Ortygospiza gabonensis	LC	NR	Taxonomy (no longer valid/recognised)
Cameroon Indigobird	Vidua camerunensis	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Quailfinch Indigobird	Vidua nigeriae	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Yellow-crowned Canary	Serinus flavivertex	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Scottish Crossbill	Loxia scotica	DD	LC	Knowledge
Azores Bullfinch	Pyrrhula murina	CR	EN	Knowledge
Baudo Oropendola	Psarocolius cassini	VU	EN	Mistake
Rufous-backed Bunting	Emberiza jankowskii	VU	EN	Genuine (since first assessment)
Wilkins's Bunting	Nesospiza wilkinsi	NR	EN	Taxonomy (newly split)
Nightingale Bunting	Nesospiza questi	NR	VU	Taxonomy (newly split)
Grey-throated Warbling-finch	Poospiza cabanisi	NR	LC	Taxonomy (newly split)
Entre Rios Seedeater	Sporophila zelichi	CR	NR	Taxonomy (no longer valid/recognised)

IUCN Red List categories

Reason for change

This is a code assigned by BirdLife whenever a species's IUCN Red List Category is changed. The codes are:

Genuine (recent)

The change in category is the result of a genuine status change that has taken place since the last complete assessment. For example, the change is due to an increase in the rate of decline, a decrease in population or range size or habitat, or declines in these for the first time (owing to increasing/new threats) and therefore new thresholds are met relating to the IUCN Red List criteria.

Genuine (since first assessment)

The change in category is the result of a genuine status change that took place prior to the last complete assessment, but since the first complete assessment (1988) and that has only just been detected owing to new information/ documentation. If this new information had been available earlier, the new category would have been assigned during the previous assessment(s).

Criteria revision

The change in category is the result of the revision of the IUCN Red List Criteria (currently 1994 v. 2001 versions). These largely relate to criteria A2, A3, A4, D2 and the removal of the 'Conservation Dependent' category.

Knowledge

The change in category is the result of better knowledge, e.g. owing to new or newly synthesised information or better understanding of application of the IUCN Red List criteria.

Taxonomy

The new category is different from the previous one (which may be 'Not Recognised') owing to a taxonomic change adopted during the period since the previous assessment. Such changes include: newly split (the taxon is newly elevated to species level), newly described (the taxon is newly described as a species), newly lumped (the taxon is newly lumped with another species) and no longer valid/recognised (either the taxon is no longer valid e.g. because it is now considered to be a hybrid or variant, form or subspecies of another species, or the previously recognised taxon differs from a currently recognised one as a result of a split or lump).

Mistake

The previous category was applied in error (excluding those cases covered under Knowledge).

Other

The change in category is the result of other reasons not easily covered by the above, and/or requires further explanation.

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What's new (2010)

Species changing IUCN Red List

IUCN Red List categories

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