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 extremely 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.

Family/Sub-family Scolopacidae

Species name author (Linnaeus, 1758)

Taxonomic source(s) AERC TAC (2003), AOU checklist (1998 + supplements), Christidis and Boles (1994), Christidis and Boles (2008), Cramp and Simmons (1977-1994), Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993), SACC (2005 + updates), Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993), Stotz et al. (1996), Turbott (1990)

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

1,100,000 - 1,200,000

unset

1,470,000 km²

No

Important Bird Areas Click here to view map showing IBAs where species is recorded and triggers any of the IBA criteria.

Ecology: Behaviour This species is a full long-distance migrant¹. It breeds from late-May to August² in solitary pairs¹, although it may also form small colonies⁴. After breeding adults disperse to coastal moulting sites, the onward migration to wintering grounds then continuing into October and November². The species often flies in large flocks² and forages in groups outside of the breeding season¹, occasionally aggregating into huge flocks of several hundreds of thousands of individuals at favoured sites (e.g. in Mauritania)². Habitat Breeding The species breeds in marshy, swampy areas in lowland moss and shrub tundra^{1, 3, 4} near wet river valleys³, lakes and sedge bogs⁴, as well as on swampy heathlands in the willow and birch zone near the Arctic treeline³, in open larch Larix spp. woodland close to water¹, and occasionally on open bogs in the extreme north of the coniferous forest zone³. Non-breeding On passage the species may frequent inland wetlands², sandy beaches with pine Pinus spp. stands, swampy lowlands near lakes⁴ and short-grass meadows, but during the winter it is more common in intertidal areas along muddy coastlines, estuaries, inlets, mangrove-fringed lagoons and sheltered bays¹ with tidal mudflats or sandbars³. Diet Breeding When breeding the species feeds on insects, annelid worms, molluscs and occasionally seeds and berries¹. Non-breeding In intertidal areas the species's diet consists of annelids (e.g. Nereis spp. and Arenicola spp.), bivalves and crustaceans, although it will also take cranefly larvae and earthworms on grasslands and occasionally larval amphibians (tadpoles) and small fish¹. Breeding site The nest is a depression positioned on a dry elevated site¹ such as a tundra ridge³ or hummock⁴, often between clumps of grass¹ or under a thicket⁴. Management information In the UK there is evidence that the removal of Spartina anglica from tidal mudflats using a herbicide is beneficial for the species⁵.

Threats The species is threatened by the degradation of foraging sites due to land reclamation, pollution, human disturbance^{1, 6}, reduced river flows⁶ and in some areas the invasion of mudflats and coastal saltmarshes by mangroves (owing to sea-level rise and increased sedimentation and nutrient loads at the coast from uncontrolled development and soil erosion in upstream catchment areas)⁸. The species is also susceptible to avian influenza so may be threatened by future outbreaks of the virus⁷.

References 1. del Hoyo et al. (1996). 2. Hayman et al. (1986). 3. Johnsgard (1981). 4. Flint et al. (1984). 5. Evans (1986). 6. Kelin and Qiang (2006). 7. Melville and Shortridge (2006). 8. Straw and Saintilan (2006).

Further web sources of information

Detailed species account from Birds in Europe: population estimates, trends and conservation status (BirdLife International 2004)

Text account compilers Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Jonathan Ekstrom (BirdLife International), Lucy Malpas (BirdLife International)

IUCN Red List evaluators Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2010) Species factsheet: Limosa lapponica. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 30/7/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife

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