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 very 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 Glareolidae

Species name author Gray, 1849

Taxonomic source(s) Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993), Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

130,000 - 1,100,000

unset

6,190,000 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 intra-African migrant^{1, 2, 4}, undertaking post-breeding¹ seasonal movements in relation to water level changes (departing when an area becomes flooded² and arriving when bare rocks are exposed by drought⁴). It breeds during the dry season^{1, 2} in small, loose colonies of up to 26 pairs^{1, 4}, and often with many attendant non-breeders⁴. The species is strongly gregarious even when not breeding^{1, 2} and is commonly found in groups of 2-10², sometimes gathering in flocks of more than 100 individuals prior to migration⁴. It is mainly crepuscular, foraging on the wing at dawn and dusk¹. Habitat This species shows a preference for exposed emergent rocks in large rivers and streams^{1, 3}, sometimes also frequenting mud and sandbars by lagoons², dams and ponds on migration⁴. When rivers flood it may move to coastal areas, or other inland waters¹. Diet This species is insectivorous, its diet consisting chiefly of flies (including tsetse flies Glossina), ants, beetles¹, moths, grasshoppers, leaf cicadas and termite alates⁴. Breeding site Eggs are laid directly into shallow depressions, cracks, and on the flat tops of bare rocks^{1, 2} surrounded by deep and sometimes fast-flowing water³, or on rock ledges and under overhangings⁴. Most nests are found within a metre or two of the water level⁷.

Threats This species is threatened by dam construction^{4, 5, 7} as it is vulnerable to the fluctuating water levels of dammed rivers, and the loss of suitable habitat through the creation of lakes^{1, 4, 5, 6, 7}. Destruction of the species' riverine rocky habitat has occurred in southern Africa through extensive siltation of the southeastern lowveld rivers⁷. Utilisation Nestlings and eggs may be gathered for human use from breeding areas along the Zambezi River⁶.

References 1. del Hoyo et al. (1998). 2. Urban et al. (1986). 3. Hayman et al. (1986). 4. Hockey et al. (2005). 5. Irwin (1981). 6. Williams et al. (1989). 7. Harrison et al. (1997).

Text account compilers Paul Buckley (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds), 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 (2009) Species factsheet: Glareola nuchalis. 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.

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

To contribute to discussions on the evaluation of the IUCN Red List status of Globally Threatened Birds, please visit BirdLife's Globally Threatened Bird Forums