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 Anatidae

Species name author Linnaeus, 1758

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

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

2,800,000 - 3,300,000

unset

16,300,000 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 The species is strongly migratory, undertaking significant cold weather movements of varying magnitude¹⁶. It leaves its breeding grounds in late summer (September) to arrive in its wintering grounds across Europe and Asia in October and November^{1, 16}. Populations leave their winter quarters again between March and April, and arrive in their breeding grounds in northern Russia during the second half of May^{1, 16}. Both the males and females of the species undergo a flightless moult period after breeding and whilst still in their breeding range, during which they congregate at moult gatherings^{1, 16} (males moult their flight feathers between late May and July, females between late June and early September)¹⁶. Birds of this species are dispersive during the breeding season and nest in pairs or small groups^{1, 3, 11}. On passage to their wintering grounds individuals come together in large numbers, and during the non-breeding season the species is highly gregarious, forming close aggregations (4,200 birds were recorded in one wintering flock in Ethiopia)^{3, 11}. It is chiefly a diurnal feeder¹⁰, but is sometimes nocturnal (depending on local disturbances and tides, especially in its non-breeding marine habitats)¹. Habitat Breeding This species breeds in lowland freshwater marshes, slow-flowing large rivers⁸ and shallow lakes and lagoons with ample submerged, floating and emerging vegetation¹. Ideal wetland habitats for this species are those surrounded by sparse open forest, woodland and especially agricultural land^{1, 8}, in the boreal and subarctic zone^{1, 2}. It avoids tundra, densely forested and mountainous country, as well as fast flowing rivers and streams, but tolerates saline or alkaline steppe lakes and wetlands^{2, 3}. Non-breeding In the non-breeding season this species shows a preference for coastal salt-marshes, freshwater, brackish and saline lagoons², flooded grasslands², estuaries, intertidal mudflats², and other sheltered marine habitats¹. Diet It is vegetarian and consumes the leaves, seeds, stems and root bulbs of pond weeds, fine grasses¹⁰ (especially from agricultural land surrounding lakes)⁹, horsetails⁸ and eelgrass, as well as algae⁴. Animal material is taken rarely and usually incidentally along with vegetation or seeds^{1, 10}. Breeding site The nests of this species are shallow depressions in the ground lined with vegetation, usually positioned not far from water and well concealed under overhanging vegetation, in grass tussocks, scrub¹, and especially in heather¹⁷. Management information Removing red foxes Vulpes vulpes and pine martens Martes martes from regions in Finland significantly increased the breeding success of this species²⁰.

Threats This species is susceptible to disturbance from freshwater recreational activities^{5, 14} (e.g. tourists walking)²², pollution (including thallium contamination⁶, petroleum pollution¹⁴), wetland drainage^{5, 14}, peat-extraction (e.g. in the Kaliningrad region of Russia)¹⁴, changing wetland management practices (decreased grazing and mowing in meadows leading to scrub over-growth)¹⁴ and the burning and mowing of reeds¹⁴. Avian influenza virus (strain H5N1) is also a potential threat^{7, 13}, as is poisoning from the ingestion of lead shot pellets¹⁸. Utilisation This species is hunted for sport (e.g. in the UK)^{1, 5}, and although population numbers in an area decrease significantly after a period of shooting, there is no current evidence that such utilisation poses and immediate threat to the species^{12, 15}. The eggs of this species used to be (and possibly still are) harvested in Iceland¹⁹. This species is also hunted for commercial and recreational purposes in Gilan Province, northern Iran²¹.

References 1. Kear (2005b). 2. Cramp and Simmons (1977). 3. Madge and Burn (1988). 4. Johnsgard (1978). 5. del Hoyo et al. (1992). 6. Mochizuki, et al. (2005). 7. Jonassen and Handeland (2007). 8. Kretchmar (1994). 9. Jacobsen (1993). 10. Myrfyn and Thomas (1979). 11. Brown et al. (1982). 12. Vaananen (2001). 13. Melville and Shortridge (2006). 14. Grishanov (2006). 15. Bregnballe et al. (2006). 16. Scott and Rose (1996). 17. Jacobsen and Ugelvik (1998). 18. Mondain-Monval et al. (2002). 19. Gudmundsson (1979). 20. Kauhala (2004). 21. Balmaki and Barati (2006). 22. Mathers et al. (2000).

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 (2009) Species factsheet: Anas penelope. 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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