Justification This species is classified as Near Threatened because populations appear to be undergoing a moderately rapid reduction. Proposed large-scale soda ash extraction at Lake Natron, the most important breeding colony, although currently on hold, would be disasterous for this species and, were this to happen, the species may qualify for uplisting to a higher threat category.

Family/Sub-family Phoenicopteridae

Species name author (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1798)

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

Synonyms Phoenicopterus minor Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993), Phoenicopterus minor Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993), Phoenicopterus minor Cramp and Simmons (1977-1994), Phoenicopterus minor AERC TAC (2003), Phoenicopterus minor BirdLife International (2006), Phoenicopterus minor BirdLife International (2004), Phoenicopterus minor BirdLife International (2000), Phoenicopterus minor Collar et al. (1994)

Taxonomic note The placement of this taxon in the genus Phoeniconaias follows Dickinson (2003) contra Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993) because the distinctive interior bill morphology indicates differentiation at generic level from Phoenicopterus.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

2,200,000 - 3,240,000

decreasing

331,000 km²

No

Range & population Phoeniconaias minor breeds mainly in the Rift Valley lakes of East Africa in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania. Three smaller breeding congregations occur in West Africa, in southern Africa, and in India and Pakistan in Asia. When not breeding, it occurs in virtually every sub-Saharan country and from the Arabian peninsula to Pakistan. The global population is c.2,220,000-3,240,000, including c.650,000 in Asia². The largest population, estimated to be 1.5-2.5 million birds, occurs on the alkaline-saline lakes of the Great Rift Valley in East Africa¹⁰. Smaller populations occur in the Rann of Kachchh in north-western India, estimated to be approximately 390,000 birds, in southern Africa, estimated to be 55,000-65,000 birds, and in West Africa, estimated to be 15,000-25,000 birds¹⁰. Declines have been suggested for much of Africa^2,3, but are difficult to clarify due to widescale movement within the continent. It is adapted to respond to local environmental changes in sites by moving elsewhere, and thus depends on a network of suitable areas¹.

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 itinerant and makes extensive movements in response to adverse environmental conditions^{1, 6, 11, 12, 13}. The Asian and southern African populations are partially migratory, with many making regular movements from their breeding sites inland to coastal wetlands when not breeding^{12, 14}. The species breeds in huge colonies of many thousands of pairs often mixed with Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus⁶. The timing of breeding is irregular and varies geographically depending on the timing of the rains, with individual adults often not breeding annually¹⁵. The species is an obligate filter feeder and feeds during the night and early morning when the surface of the water is calm, primarily by swimming and filtering the algae near the surface with a specialised bill that contains up to 10,000 microscopic lamellae⁶. When necessary, the species forms large dense feeding flocks that create calm water for feeding near the centre of the flock⁶. Habitat The species breeds on large undisturbed alkaline and saline lakes, salt pans or coastal lagoons, usually far out from the shore after seasonal rains have provided the flooding necessary to isolate remote breeding sites from terrestrial predators and the soft muddy material for nest building^{6, 16, 17}. Diet It has a highly specialised diet consisting almost entirely of microscopic blue-green algae (Spirulina spp., Oscillatoria spp. and Lyngbya spp.) and benthic diatoms (Navicula spp., Bacillariophyceae) found only in alkaline lakes, salt pans and saline lagoons and estuaries⁶. To a lesser extent the species will also take small aquatic invertebrates such as rotifers (Brachiomus spp)⁶. Breeding site The nest is built from mud substrates^{15, 16}. Management information The species will breed successfully on artificial breeding islands in ideal conditions¹⁸.

Threats Only three main breeding sites exist in Africa, all facing threats and requiring protection⁴. Proposed soda-ash mining and hydro-electric power schemes affecting the main breeding site, Lake Natron in Tanzania, though currently put on hold, could cause rapid overall population declines due to disturbance and the introduction of an alien brine shrimp to clean the soda of algae (the flamingo's food)¹. Other threats include land-claim, water pollution, and disturbance, and there are fears that the population at Lake Bogoria is sufferring from malnutrition^4,5,7.

Conservation measures underway CITES Appendix II. CMS Appendix II. It breeds at an artificially created site at Kamfers Dam, South Africa⁸.

Conservation measures proposed Regularly monitor the population at Lake Natron and other key sites. Ensure complete and permanent protection of all breeding congregations, particularly those at Lake Natron.

References 1. L. Bennun in litt. (1999). 2. Rose and Scott (1997). 3. Simmons (1996). 4. R. E. Simmons in litt. (1998). 5. S. J. Tyler in litt. (1999). 6. del Hoyo et al. (1992). 7. D. Harper in litt. (2007). 8. M. Anderson in litt. (2008). 9. J. O'Sullivan in litt. (2007). 10. Delany and Scott (2006). 11. Childress et al. (2007). 12. McCulloch et al. (2003). 13. Borello et al. (1998). 14. Jadhav and Parasharya (2004). 15. Brown et al. (1982). 16. Brown and Root (1971). 17. McCulloch and Irvine (2004). 18. Anderson (2008).

Further web sources of information

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 Mike Evans (BirdLife International), Simon Mahood (BirdLife International), Lucy Malpas (BirdLife International), Andrew O'Brien (BirdLife International), John Pilgrim (BirdLife International), Pete Robertson (BirdLife International)

Contributors Mark Anderson (North Cape Dep. of Tourism, Env. and Conservation), Leon Bennun (BirdLife International), Brooks Childress, Frank Hawkins (Conservation International), Robert E. Simmons (FitzPatrick Institute, University of Cape Town), Stephanie Tyler (BirdLife Botswana)

IUCN Red List evaluators Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Simon Mahood (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Phoeniconaias minor. 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

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