Justification This species is listed as Critically Endangered because its population has undergone a very rapid reduction, for reasons that are poorly understood; this decline is projected to continue and increase in the future. Recent fieldwork in Kazakhstan (and counts in Turkey and the Middle East) have shown the population to be substantially larger than previously feared, and further research may show that the species warrants downlisting to a lower category of threat.

Family/Sub-family Charadriidae

Species name author (Pallas, 1771)

Taxonomic source(s) AERC TAC (2003), Cramp and Simmons (1977-1994), Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993), Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)

Synonyms Chettusia gregaria Cramp and Simmons (1977-1994), Chettusia gregaria Collar and Andrew (1988)

Identification 27-30 cm. Strikingly patterned plover. Adult greyish with black and chestnut belly. White supercilium and black crown and eye-stripe. Winter adult brownish but retains supercilium and crown pattern. Juvenile brown, slightly scalloped above, and streaked black below with large white supercilium. Similar spp. White-tailed Lapwing V. leucurus lacks supercilium and crown patch, has longer legs and no black subterminal tail-band. Voice Harsh kretsch kretsch and a rapid chattering.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

11,000

decreasing

2,020,000 km²

No

Range & population Vanellus gregarius breeds in northern and central Kazakhstan and south-central Russia, dispersing through Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey and Egypt, to key wintering sites in Israel, Eritrea, Sudan (see below) and north-west India (e.g. 45 birds in the Little Rann of Kutch in November 2007 ¹⁷ and 30 at Great Rann of Kutch in November 2008²¹). Birds winter occasionally in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Oman and UAE. The species has suffered a very rapid decline and range contraction. In northern Kazakhstan, a decline of 40% during 1930-1960, was followed by a further halving of numbers during 1960-1987. Recent fieldwork has shown the population to be larger than once feared. Surveys in 2006 in Kazakhstan counted 376 breeding pairs in an area of 145,000 km². Extrapolating this population density across the breeding range yields a possible total population size of 5,600 breeding pairs¹¹, i.e. 11,200 mature individuals; but work is continuing in order to refine this estimate. A satellite-tagged bird from central Kazakhstan was located in Turkey in October 2007 in a flock of 3,200 individuals¹³, even larger than the total of simultaneous counts of over 1,500 in northern Syria and 1,000 individuals in south-eastern Turkey in March 2007^1,16. Two tagged birds were then tracked to wintering quarters in Sudan in February 2008¹⁸, indicating that the sites in the Middle East are used for stopping over en route to Africa. Two further individuals, including one in far eastern Kazakhstan, were tagged in 2008¹³.

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 migratory¹⁹. It breeds semi-colonially in small groups of 3-20 pairs¹⁹ from mid-April until July, and begins the migration south in August or September¹⁹ (occasionally as late as October¹³). Flocks of several thousand birds have been known to gather before migration in Siberia and Kazakhstan^13,20, but migration itself usually occurs in small groups of 15-20 birds^19,20. It arrives on its wintering grounds in India and Pakistan by September-October, and in Sudan by late October¹⁹. Small flocks of similar size to those observed on migration are usual on the wintering grounds²⁰, although very occasionally larger flocks of over 100 birds have been recorded²⁰. It departs the wintering grounds in March or early April, arriving on its breeding range from mid April¹⁹. Habitat Breeding It breeds mainly in the transition zones between Stipa and Artemisia grassland steppes where bare saline areas occur near water-bodies. It uses dry wasteland, cultivated, ploughed and stubble fields¹⁹. Nests are preferentially placed in areas of Artemisia where there is a high dung abundance and vegetation is short⁹. Steppes that are densely vegetated may be avoided²⁰, however areas with a low percentage of bare ground and high percentage of tall vegetation are preferred by chicks, and may be important for providing cover from predators⁹. It has been postulated that it evolved to nest in habitats created by migratory saiga Saiga tatarica^{e.g. 9}, but this is unlikely given the timing of Saiga movements relative to Sociable Lapwing breeding, the speed with which they pass through areas, and the very short swards favoured by the birds; nevertheless Saiga grazing combined with fires may have promoted optimal habitat¹⁵. Suitable habitat probably occurred naturally in sparsely vegetated solonchaks and areas recently burnt by steppe fires, but are now most abundant in the periphery of villages, at least in central Kazakhstan¹⁰. Non-breeding On migration it uses mainly sandy plains with short grass, dry meadows, fallow land and cultivated fields¹⁹. The wintering grounds are burnt steppe and savannah, dry plains, sandy wastes, harvested millet fields, dump pastures and short grass areas, often adjacent to water¹⁹. In Arabia it often occurs in the desert near the coast¹⁹. Diet It feeds chiefly on insects including Orthoptera, Coleoptera, and moth larvae¹⁹. It also takes arachnids and frequently small amounts of plant matter including grains, leaves and flowers¹⁹. Small stones are often found in the stomach, occasionally along with the remains of small vertebrate bones and mollusc shells¹⁹. The diet is more varied during the breeding season, being limited mainly to orthopterans and other insects during the non-breeding season¹⁹. Breeding site The nest is a scrape that is unlined or lined with plant material, pebbles and debris¹⁹. It is usually found on bare saline patches or in short vegetation near to water¹⁹. Nest survival during the egg stage varies between years, owing to varying levels of predation by fox Vulpes vulpes, polecat, long-eared hedgehog and souslik species, and trampling by cattle, and in particular, sheep and goats¹⁰.

Threats Key factors explaining the magnitude of declines remain poorly understood, despite much recent research. On the breeding grounds, it was probably formerly threatened by the conversion of steppe to arable cultivation, plus, perhaps less likely, the reduction in grazing by large herds of native ungulates and, latterly, by the loss of the enormous herds of domestic grazing animals from state-sponsored collective farms^4,9. However, since the collapse of the Soviet Union, large areas of arable cultivation have been abandoned and are reverting to natural steppe habitat, herds of domestic livestock have become concentrated around villages (where their permanent presence leads to shorter swards than were created by the vast herds that grazed semi-nomadically under the Soviet system), while an increase in fires (owing to reduced control of fires) may also have contributed to an increase in suitable habitat. These factors may be behind the possible increase in numbers (at least in parts of Kazakhstan) in recent years^10,9. Concentration of nests in heavily grazed areas in the vicinity of villages may have increased threats from human disturbance and trampling by sheep, goats and possibly other livestock^9,10. Nest predation by Rooks Corvus frugilegus - which have expanded widely into the breeding range with the plantation of networks of shelter-belts² - was previously suggested as a cause of declines, but data from central Kazakhstan indicate this is unlikely^9,10. Illegal hunting during migration and on the wintering grounds may now be the primary threat¹⁰. The species may be affected by the increasingly dry climate in its breeding and wintering range, but it is not clear if this benefits or threatens this semi-desert species⁹.

Conservation measures underway CMS Appendix I and II. An international species action plan was published in 2004. It is legally protected in Armenia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, but this is generally not enforced⁶. An intensive research project at the breeding sites in central Kazakhstan has been running since 2004, and includes surveys in north and east Kazakhstan^3,9. A survey of historical breeding sites in the South Urals was conducted in 2005⁷ and another at passage sites in south-west Russia was carried out in 2006¹². Coordinated counts were undertaken at key passage/wintering sites in Syria and Turkey in March 2007¹. Satellite-tags have been placed on birds in central Kazahstan, one of which was tracked to Turkey in October 2007¹³.

Conservation measures proposed Continue research in Kazakhstan (and initiate in Russia) on breeding biology, habitat requirements and migration, including colour-ringing and satellite tracking to determine movements. Continue surveys of breeding range in Kazakhstan, potential breeding range in Russia, and wintering/passage sites in Middle East and Africa (including determining periods when birds are present). Continue to monitor trends on breeding grounds and at key passage/winter sites. Identify and evaluate key threats on breeding, passage and wintering grounds. Investigate the importance of hunting on passage/wintering grounds. Review International Species Action Plan in the light of recent research on the breeding grounds and identification of key passage/wintering sites. Develop national species action plans, at least for Kazakhstan and key passage/wintering countries. At breeding colonies sensitive to trampling by sheep during nesting period, work with local shepherds to minimise disturbance. Control hunting on wintering/passage sites.

References Collar et al. (1994). Tucker and Heath (1994). Tomkovich and Lebedeva (2002). 1. Anon. (2007). 2. Belik (2005). 3. Cresswell et al. (2005). 4. Eichhorn and Khrokov (2002). 5. V. V. Khrokov in litt. (1999). 6. V. Morozov in litt. (1999). 7. Morozov and Kornev (2005). 8. Murdoch and Blair (2006). 9. Watson et al. (2006). 10. M. A. Koshkin, J. Kamp and R. D. Sheldon in litt. (2007). 11. Sheldon et al. (2006). 12. Field et al. (2006). 13. R. Sheldon in litt. (2007, 2008). 14. J. Kamp in litt. (2007). 15. Kamp (2007). 16. Bozdogan et al. (2007). 17. Deomurari (2007). 18. P. Donald and R. Sheldon verbally 2008. 19. del Hoyo et al. (1996). 20. Johnsgard (1981). 21. J. Tiwari in litt. (2008).

Further web sources of information

African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) International Action Plan 2004

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

Fully detailed species accounts from the Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book (BirdLife International 2001), together with new information collated since the publication of the Red Data Book

Text account compilers Phil Benstead (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), David Capper (BirdLife International), Jonathan Ekstrom (BirdLife International), Nic Peet (BirdLife International), John Pilgrim (BirdLife International), Rob Pople (BirdLife International - European Division), Rob Pople (BirdLife International)

Contributors Sharif Al-Jbour (BirdLife International - Middle East Division), Ozge Balkiz (Doga Dernegi), Paul Donald (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds), Remco Hofland, Johannes Kamp (Universitat Oldenburg), Valery Khrokov (Association for Conservation of Biodiversity in KZ), Maxim Koshkin (Association for Conservation of Biodiversity in KZ), Vladimir Morozov (Zoological Museum, Moscow State University), Rob Sheldon (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds), Jose Tavares (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds)

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

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Vanellus gregarius. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 10/2/2010

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.

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