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 Anatidae

Species name author (Pennant, 1769)

Taxonomic source(s) AOU checklist (1998 + supplements), Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993), SACC (2005 + updates), Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993), Stotz et al. (1996)

Taxonomic note Sarkidiornis sylvicola, previously treated as a species in Collar and Andrew (1988), is now considered a subspecies of S. melanotos following Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993).

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

200,000 - 730,000

unset

28,300,000 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 an intra-African migrant⁶ undertaking poorly-understood^{1, 2, 6} seasonal movements in relation to water availability^{1, 2}. It breeds during the wet season in single pairs or small groups^{1, 2} (harems)², and outside of the breeding season usually occurs in small parties of up to 30-40 individuals⁴. Large flocks also gather in the dry (non-breeding) season² on suitable waters⁴, but these break up and disperse to breeding grounds at the onset of the rains². Habitat This species inhabits grassy ponds or lakes in savanna, open woodlands along large rivers and lakes³, swamps¹, marshes, floodplains, river deltas^{2, 5}, flooded forest, pastures and rice-paddies⁵ and occasionally sandbars and mudflats³. Diet Its diet consists largely of vegetable matter, including the seeds of grasses and sedges, the soft parts of aquatic plants (e.g. water-lilies)², agricultural grain (e.g. rice, corn, oats³, wheat and groundnuts⁶) as well as aquatic insect larvae and locusts^{1, 2, 3}. Breeding site The species nests close to water^{2, 4, 5}, building rough structures of twigs and coarse grass¹ in large hollow tree cavities^{4, 5}, between 7 and 12 m high², or in holes in the walls of isolated buildings⁴ (or other cavities with a floor diameter of c.200 mm⁵). It may also use the abandoned nests of other bird species, such as Hamerkop Scopus umbretta^{2, 4, 5}, or nest on the ground¹ in the shelter of tall grass or on tree stumps³. When the species is tree nesting, the same cavity may be used from year to year².

Threats The species is threatened by hunting¹ (e.g. in Madagascar)⁵, habitat destruction⁵ (e.g. from deforestation)¹, and indiscriminate use of poison in rice-fields¹. The species has declined in the Senegal Delta following the damming of the Senegal River (which has resulted in habitat degradation and loss from vegetation overgrowth, desertification processes and land conversion to agriculture)⁷. This species is also susceptible to avian influenza, so is potentially threatened by future outbreaks of the virus⁸.

References 1. del Hoyo et al. (1992). 2. Brown et al. (1982). 3. Johnsgard (1978). 4. Madge and Burn (1988). 5. Kear (2005a). 6. Hockey et al. (2005). 7. Triplett and Yesou (2000). 8. Gaidet et al. (2007).

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 (2009) Species factsheet: Sarkidiornis melanotos. 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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