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 may be moderately small to large, but it is not believed to 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 Eyton, 1838

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

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

29,000 - 70,000

unset

9,210,000 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 It is not a migrant, being territorial and sedentary within a permanent range⁶, although in South Africa some birds move from rivers to large local open waters to roost, returning to the rivers in the early morning⁶. This species breeds irregularly, the timing of breeding varying with locality², and throughout both breeding and non-breeding seasons the species remains dispersed as individuals or single pairs⁴. It does not form large aggregations⁴, although roosting flocks may be large³. Adults undergo a flightless moulting period lasting around 25-30 days; males moulting between October and February (numbers peaking in November), females between November and February (numbers peaking in December)⁵. The species is diurnal, usually resting at night and spending daylight hours feeding, sleeping and preening³. Habitat This species prefers fast-flowing shallow rivers and streams with rocky substrates, particularly in wooded and mountainous country^{1, 5} up to 4,250 m⁶. It can also be found in open, arid habitats and on lakes, reservoirs, lagoons, sandy-bottomed estuaries, stagnant or slow-flowing water^{1, 3}, and sewage ponds⁵. During this species' flightless moult period it requires cover near its foraging areas (e.g. lodged branches or undercut banks)⁵. Diet It has an omnivorous diet consisting of waterweeds and other aquatic vegetation, agricultural grain^{1, 5}, fruits from terrestrial plants overhanging the water, mulberries (Morus), firethorn (Pryacantha) berries, fallen acorns⁵, aquatic insects and their larvae, crustaceans, larval amphibians and fish spawn^{1, 5}. Breeding site Ground cavity nests and elevated tree-nesting sites have been reported for this species, but usually nests are sited close to running water on islands, grassy river banks, in reedbeds or amongst driftwood¹. Important criteria for suitable nest sites are close proximity to water and near invisibility from above¹.

Threats The species is threatened by deforestation in Kenya², and as it is a river specialist it is vulnerable to habitat loss through river degradation⁵ such as dam building, water extraction^{4, 5}, siltation, pollution, clearing of riparian vegetation and alien biota⁵. Hybridisation of the species with Mallard Anas platyrhynchos is also a potential threat⁵.

References 1. Johnsgard (1978). 2. del Hoyo, et al. (1992). 3. Brown, et al. (1982). 4. Kear (2005b). 5. Hockey, et al. (2005). 6. Scott and Rose (1996)

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 sparsa. 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