Habitats and Altitude
In the species factsheets, details of the species's ecology are included, covering habitats used, diet and breeding details, especially where this information is relevant to the evaluation of the status of the species. In BirdLife's World Bird Database, habitat types are coded for analytical purposes. These are listed in the 'additional data' tables, along with codes for their importance and for describing the occurrence of the species in the habitat (see below). The habitat types used are listed below and are the standard terms used in the IUCN Red List Habitats Authority File (Version 2.1). The two levels of the hierarchy are self-explanatory, as they use familiar habitat terms that take into account biogeography and latitudinal zonation. The aquatic habitats, both marine and inland, are based primarily on the classification system of wetland types used by the Ramsar Convention (see http://www.ramsar.org/ris/key_ris.htm#type). It is acknowledged that the system is not perfect, and that the freshwater and marine habitats in particular need further development. Updates to this Authority File and a more detailed description of the habitat types can be downloaded from: www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/sis/authority.htm
Habitat classification
1. Forest
1.1. Boreal; 1.2. Subarctic; 1.3. Subantarctic; 1.4. Temperate; 1.5. Subtropical/Tropical Dry; 1.6. Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland; 1.7. Subtropical/Tropical Mangrove; 1.8. Subtropical/Tropical Swamp; 1.9. Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane
2. Savanna
2.1. Dry Savanna; 2.2. Moist Savana
3. Shrubland
3.1. Subarctic; 3.2. Subantarctic; 3.3. Boreal; 3.4. Temperate; 3.5. Subtropical/Tropical Dry; 3.6. Subtropical/Tropical Moist; 3.7. Subtropical/Tropical High Altitude; 3.8. Mediterranean-type Shrubby Vegetation;
4. Grassland
4.1. Tundra; 4.2. Subarctic; 4.3. Subantarctic; 4.4. Temperate; 4.5. Subtropical/Tropical Dry Lowland; 4.6. Subtropical/Tropical Seasonally Wet/Flooded Lowland; 4.7. Subtropical/Tropical High Altitude
5. Wetlands (inland)
5.1. Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks [includes waterfalls]; 5.2. Seasonal/Intermittent/Irregular Rivers/Streams/Creeks; 5.3. Shrub Dominated Wetlands; 5.4. Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands; 5.5. Permanent Freshwater Lakes [over 8 ha]; 5.6. Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Lakes [over 8 ha]; 5.7. Permanent Freshwater Marshes/Pools [under 8 ha]; 5.8. Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Marshes/Pools [under 8 ha]; 5.9. Freshwater Springs and Oases; 5.10. Tundra Wetlands [includes pools and temporary waters from snowmelt]; 5.11. Alpine Wetlands [includes temporary waters from snowmelt]; 5.12. Geothermal Wetlands; 5.13. Permanent Inland Deltas; 5.14. Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Lakes; 5.15. Seasonal/Intermittent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Lakes and Flats; 5.16. Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Marshes/Pools; 5.17. Seasonal/Intermittent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Marshes/Pools; 5.18. Karst and Other Subterranean Hydrological Systems [inland]
6. Rocky Areas [e.g. inland cliffs, mountain peaks]
7. Caves and Subterranean Habitats (non-aquatic)
7.1. Caves; 7.2. Other Subterranean Habitats
8. Desert
8.1. Hot; 8.2. Temperate; 8.3. Cold
9. Sea
9.1. Open; 9.2. Shallow [usually less than 6 m deep at low tide; includes sea bays and straits]; 9.3. Subtidal Aquatic Beds [kelp beds, sea- grass beds and tropical marine meadows]; 9.4. Coral Reefs
10. Coastline
10.1. Rocky Shores [includes rocky offshore islands and sea cliffs]; 10.2. Sand, Shingle or Pebble Shores [includes sand bars, spits, sandy islets, dune systems]; 10.3. Estuarine Waters; 10.4. Intertidal Mud, Sand or Salt Flats; 10.5. Intertidal Marshes [includes salt marshes]; 10.6. Coastal Brackish/Saline Lagoons; 10.7. Coastal Freshwater Lagoons; 10.8. Karst and Other Subterranean Hydrological Systems [marine/coastal]
11. Artificial - Terrestrial
11.1. Arable Land; 11.2. Pastureland; 11.3. Plantations; 11.4. Rural Gardens; 11.5. Urban Areas; 11.6. Subtropical/Tropical Heavily Degraded Former Forest
12. Artificial - Aquatic
12.1. Water Storage Areas (over 8 ha); 12.2. Ponds (below 8 ha); 12.3. Aquaculture Ponds; 12.4. Salt Exploitation Sites; 12.5. Excavations (open); 12.6. Wastewater Treatment Areas; 12.7. Irrigated Land [includes irrigation channels]; 12.8. Seasonally Flooded Agricultural Land; 12.9. Canals and Drainage Channels, Ditches; 12.10. Karst and Other Subterranean Hydrological Systems [human-made]
13. Introduced Vegetation
14. Other
15. Unknown
Habitat importance
BirdLife scores the importance of each habitat coded for each species as one of the following:
- The habitat is of critical importance to the species, which is entirely or largely confined to this one type at one point in life cycle. Or the species appears to have an absolute requirement for this habitat (e.g. for nesting or as a critical food source) at some point in its life cycle.
- The habitat is of major importance to the species, which inhabits this and (typically) one other habitat type at one point in its life cycle.
- The habitat is of minor importance to the species, which inhabits this and a wide range of other habitats.
- The habitat is of insignificant importance to the species, which is casually observed or irregularly recorded in this type.
- The habitat is of unknown importance to the species.
Habitat seasonal occurrence
BirdLife scores the occurrence of the species in each habitat as one of the following:
- Resident = known or thought to use the habitat throughout the year, including for breeding
- Breeding = known or thought to use the habitat for breeding during the appropriate season
- Non-breeding = known or thought to use the habitat, but not normally for breeding
Altitude
Altitude is recorded as the altitude(s) at which the species usually occurs, excluding extreme records.