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Habitats and Altitude

In the species factsheets, details of the species's ecology are included, covering habitats used, diet and breeding details, especially where this information is relevant to the evaluation of the status of the species. In BirdLife's World Bird Database, habitat types are coded for analytical purposes. These are listed in the 'additional data' tables, along with codes for their importance and for describing the occurrence of the species in the habitat (see below). The habitat types used are listed below and are the standard terms used in the IUCN Red List Habitats Authority File (Version 3.0). The two levels of the hierarchy are self-explanatory, as they use familiar habitat terms that take into account biogeography and latitudinal zonation. The aquatic habitats, both marine and inland, are based primarily on the classification system of wetland types used by the Ramsar Convention (see http://www.ramsar.org/ris/key_ris.htm#type). It is acknowledged that the system is not perfect, and that the freshwater and marine habitats in particular need further development. Updates to this Authority File and a more detailed description of the habitat types can be downloaded from: www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/sis/authority.htm

Habitat classification

1. Forest
1.1 Boreal forest; 1.2 Subarctic forest; 1.3 Subantarctic forest; 1.4 Temperate forest; 1.5 Subtropical/tropical dry forest; 1.6 Subtropical/tropical lowland moist forest; 1.7 Subtropical/tropical mangrove; 1.8 Subtropical/tropical swamp forest; 1.9 Subtropical/tropical montane moist forest

2. Savanna
2.1 Dry savanna; 2.2 Moist savanna

3. Shrubland
3.1 Subarctic shrubland; 3.2 Subantarctic shrubland; 3.3 Boreal shrubland; 3.4 Temperate shrubland; 3.5 Subtropical/tropical (lowland) dry shrubland; 3.6 Subtropical/tropical (lowland) moist shrubland; 3.7 Subtropical/tropical high altitude shrubland; 3.8 Mediterranean-type shrubland

4. Grassland
4.1 Tundra; 4.2 Subarctic grassland; 4.3 Subantarctic grassland; 4.4 Temperate grassland; 4.5 Subtropical/tropical (lowland) dry grassland; 4.6 Subtropical/tropical (lowland) seasonally wet/flooded grassland; 4.7 Subtropical/tropical high altitude grassland

5. Wetlands (inland)
5.01 Rivers, streams, creeks – permanent; 5.02 Rivers, streams, creeks -seasonal/intermittent/irregular; 5.03 Shrub dominated wetlands; 5.04 Bogs, marshes, swamps, fens, peatlands; 5.05 Freshwater lakes (>8 ha) – permanent; 5.06 Freshwater lakes (>8 ha) - seasonal/intermittent; 5.07 Freshwater marshes/pools (<8 ha) – permanent; 5.08 Freshwater marshes/pools (<8 ha) - seasonal/intermittent; 5.09 Freshwater springs, oases; 5.10 Tundra wetlands; 5.11 Alpine wetlands; 5.12 Geothermal wetlands; 5.13 Inland deltas – permanent; 5.14 Saline, brackish/alkaline lakes – permanent; 5.15 Saline, brackish/alkaline lakes, flats - seasonal/intermittent; 5.16 Saline, brackish/alkaline marshes/pools – permanent; 5.17 Saline, brackish/alkaline marshes/pools - seasonal/intermittent

6. Rocky areas

7. Caves and subterranean habitats (non-aquatic)
7.1 Caves; 7.2 Other subterranean habitats

8. Desert
8.1 Hot desert; 8.2 Temperate desert; 8.3 Cold desert; 8.4 Semi-desert

9. Sea
9.1 Open sea; 9.2 Shallow sea; 9.3 Subtidal aquatic beds; 9.4 Coral reefs

10. Coastline
10.1 Rocky shores; 10.2 Sand, shingle, pebble shores; 10.3 Estuarine waters; 10.4 Intertidal mud, sand/salt flats; 10.5 Intertidal marshes; 10.6 Coastal brackish/saline lagoons; 10.7 Coastal freshwater lagoons

11. Artificial landscapes (terrestrial)
11.1 Arable land; 11.2 Pastureland; 11.3 Plantations; 11.4 Rural gardens; 11.5 Urban areas; 11.6 Subtropical/tropical heavily degraded former forest

12. Artificial landscapes (aquatic)
12.1 Water storage areas (>8ha); 12.2 Ponds (<8ha); 12.3 Aquaculture ponds; 12.4 Salt exploitation sites; 12.5 Excavations (open); 12.6 Wastewater treatment areas; 12.7 Irrigated land; 12.8 Seasonally flooded agricultural lands; 12.9 Canals, drainage ditches, ditches

13. Introduced/exotic vegetation

14. Other

15. Unknown

Habitat Importance - BirdLife scores the importance of each habitat coded for each species as one of the following:

  • Suitable: The species occurs in the habitat regularly or frequently
  • Major: The habitat is suitable (q.v.), and furthermore it is important for the survival of the species, either because it has an absolute requirement for the habitat at some point in its life cycle (e.g. for breeding or as a critical food source), or it is the primary habitat (or one of two primary habitats) within which the species usually occurs or within which most individuals occur.
  • Marginal: The species occurs in the habitat only irregularly or infrequently, or only a small proportion of individuals are found in the habitat.
  • Unknown: The habitat is of unknown importance to the species.

Habitat seasonal occurrence - BirdLife scores the occurrence of the species in each habitat as one of the following:

  • Resident = known or thought to use the habitat throughout the year, including for breeding
  • Breeding = known or thought to use the habitat for breeding during the appropriate season
  • Non-breeding = known or thought to use the habitat, but not normally for breeding

Altitude - Altitude is recorded as the altitude(s) at which the species usually occurs, excluding extreme records.