IUCN Red List Criteria
| Near Threatened (criteria nearly met) |
A2cde+3cde+4cde |
IUCN Red List history
| Year |
Category |
| 2012 |
Near Threatened |
| 2008 |
Near Threatened |
| 2006 |
Near Threatened |
| 2004 |
Near Threatened |
| 2000 |
Lower Risk/Near Threatened |
| 1994 |
Lower Risk/Near Threatened |
| 1988 |
Lower Risk/Least Concern |
Species attributes
| Migratory status |
full migrant |
Forest dependency |
Low |
| Land mass type |
continent
|
Average mass |
- |
Distribution
| |
Estimate |
Data quality |
| Extent of Occurrence breeding/resident (km2) |
5,840,000 |
medium |
| Extent of Occurrence non-breeding (km2) |
16,600,000 |
medium |
| Number of locations |
|
- |
| Fragmentation |
|
- |
Population & trend
| |
Estimate |
Data quality |
Derivation |
Year of estimate |
| No. of mature individuals |
|
medium |
Estimated |
2003 |
| Population trend |
Decreasing |
poor |
|
- |
| Number of subpopulations |
2-100 |
- |
- |
- |
| Largest subpopulation |
1001-1000000 |
- |
- |
- |
| Generation length (yrs) |
6 |
- |
- |
- |
|
Population justification: The global population is estimated at 9,000-15,000 pairs. |
|
Trend justification: The species is judged to be in moderately rapid decline overall, based on results from population surveys: A large decline occurred in Europe during 1970-1990 (Tucker and Heath 1994), when up to 30% of birds were lost (particularly from the key population in European Russia), and the species continued to decline in 1990-2000, when overall trends exceeded 30% over three generations (18 years) (BirdLife International 2004a). It appears that the species has been extirpated from Moldova and Belarus, where it bred formerly (Galushin et al. 2003; BirdLife International 2004a). |
Country/Territory distribution
| Country/Territory |
Occurrence status |
Extinct |
Breeding |
Non-breeding |
Passage |
| Afghanistan |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Albania |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Algeria |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Angola |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Armenia |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Austria |
Native |
No |
|
|
Yes |
| Azerbaijan |
Native |
No |
|
|
Yes |
| Bahrain |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Bangladesh |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Belarus |
Native |
No |
Yes |
|
|
| Belgium |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
|
| Benin |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Bhutan |
Unknown |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Botswana |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Bulgaria |
Native |
No |
|
|
Yes |
| Burkina Faso |
Native |
No |
|
|
|
| Burundi |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Cameroon |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Côte d'Ivoire |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Central African Republic |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Chad |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| China (mainland) |
Native |
No |
|
|
|
| Congo, The Democratic Republic of the |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Croatia |
Native |
No |
|
|
Yes |
| Cyprus |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Czech Republic |
Native |
No |
|
|
|
| Denmark |
Vagrant |
No |
Yes |
|
Yes |
| Djibouti |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Egypt |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Eritrea |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Estonia |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
|
| Ethiopia |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Finland |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
|
| France |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
|
| Gambia |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Georgia |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Germany |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
|
| Ghana |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Gibraltar (to UK) |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
|
| Greece |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Guinea |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Guinea-Bissau |
Native |
No |
|
|
|
| Hungary |
Native |
No |
Yes |
|
Yes |
| Iceland |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
|
| India |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Iran, Islamic Republic of |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Iraq |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Israel |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Italy |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Japan |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
|
| Jordan |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Kazakhstan |
Native |
No |
Yes |
|
|
| Kenya |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Kuwait |
Native |
No |
|
|
Yes |
| Kyrgyzstan |
Native |
No |
Yes |
|
Yes |
| Latvia |
Vagrant |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Yes |
| Lebanon |
Native |
No |
|
|
Yes |
| Lesotho |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
|
| Liberia |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Libya |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Liechtenstein |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
|
| Luxembourg |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
|
| Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of |
Native |
No |
|
|
|
| Malawi |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Malaysia |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
|
| Maldives |
Native |
No |
|
|
|
| Mali |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Malta |
Native |
No |
|
|
|
| Mauritania |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Moldova |
Native |
No |
Yes |
|
|
| Mongolia |
Native |
No |
Yes |
|
Yes |
| Montenegro |
Native |
No |
|
|
|
| Mozambique |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Myanmar |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Namibia |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Nepal |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Netherlands |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
|
| Niger |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Nigeria |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Norway |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
|
| Oman |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Pakistan |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Palestinian Authority Territories |
Native |
No |
|
|
Yes |
| Qatar |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Romania |
Native |
No |
|
|
Yes |
| Russia (Asian) |
Native |
No |
Yes |
|
|
| Russia (Central Asian) |
Native |
No |
Yes |
|
|
| Russia (European) |
Native |
No |
Yes |
|
Yes |
| Rwanda |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Saudi Arabia |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Senegal |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Serbia |
Native |
No |
|
|
|
| Sierra Leone |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Slovakia |
Native |
No |
|
|
|
| Slovenia |
Native |
No |
|
|
|
| Somalia |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| South Africa |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| South Sudan |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Spain |
Vagrant |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Sri Lanka |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Sudan |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Swaziland |
Unknown |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Sweden |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
|
| Switzerland |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
|
| Syria |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Tajikistan |
Native |
No |
|
|
Yes |
| Tanzania |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Togo |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Tunisia |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Turkey |
Native |
No |
|
|
Yes |
| Turkmenistan |
Native |
No |
|
|
Yes |
| Uganda |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Ukraine |
Native |
No |
|
|
Yes |
| United Arab Emirates |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| United Kingdom |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
|
| Uzbekistan |
Native |
possibly |
|
|
Yes |
| Vietnam |
Vagrant |
Yes |
|
|
|
| Yemen |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Zambia |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Zimbabwe |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
Important Bird Areas where this species has triggered the IBA criteria
| Country/Territory |
IBA Name |
IBA link |
| Algeria |
Parc National de l'Ahaggar |
 |
| Armenia |
Tashir |
|
| Azerbaijan |
Korchai area |
|
| Botswana |
South-east Botswana |
|
| Bulgaria |
Balchik |
|
| Bulgaria |
Batova |
|
| Cameroon |
Kalamaloué National Park |
|
| Cameroon |
Lake Maga |
|
| Cameroon |
Logone flood-plain |
|
| Cameroon |
Mont Manengouba |
|
| Cameroon |
Waza National Park |
|
| Djibouti |
Kadda Guéïni - Doumêra |
|
| Egypt |
Ain Sukhna |
|
| Egypt |
El Qa plain |
|
| Egypt |
Gebel El Zeit |
|
| Egypt |
Gebel Maghara |
|
| Egypt |
Lake Bardawil |
|
| Egypt |
Lake Manzala |
|
| Egypt |
Ras Mohammed National Park |
|
| Egypt |
Suez |
|
| Egypt |
Zaranik Protected Area |
|
| Ethiopia |
Abijatta - Shalla Lakes National Park |
|
| Ethiopia |
Awash National Park |
|
| Ethiopia |
Bahir Dar - Lake Tana |
|
| Ethiopia |
Bale Mountains National Park |
|
| Ethiopia |
Boyo wetland |
|
| Ethiopia |
Chelekleka lake and swamp |
|
| Ethiopia |
Dessa'a forest |
|
| Ethiopia |
Dilu Meda (Tefki) |
|
| Ethiopia |
Fogera plains |
|
| Ethiopia |
Koka dam and Lake Gelila |
|
| Ethiopia |
Lake Langano |
|
| Ethiopia |
Nechisar National Park |
|
| Ethiopia |
Senkele Sanctuary |
|
| Ethiopia |
Simien Mountains National Park |
|
| Ethiopia |
Sululta plain |
|
| Ethiopia |
Yangudi-Rassa National Park |
|
| Kazakhstan |
Aktubek |
|
| Kazakhstan |
Alekseevskie steppe pine forests |
|
| Kazakhstan |
Amangeldy |
|
| Kazakhstan |
Ereymentau Mountains |
|
| Kazakhstan |
Korgalzhyn State Nature Reserve |
|
| Kazakhstan |
Sagyz |
|
| Kazakhstan |
Vicinity of Korgalzhyn village |
|
| Kazakhstan |
Western edge of the Karakoyin and Zhetikonyr Sands |
|
| Kenya |
Kinangop grasslands |
|
| Kyrgyzstan |
Tulek Valley |
|
| Malawi |
Lake Chilwa and flood-plain |
|
| Namibia |
Etosha National Park |
|
| Namibia |
Tsumkwe pan system |
|
| Nepal |
Annapurna Conservation Area |
|
| Nepal |
Chitwan National Park |
|
| Nepal |
Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve |
|
| Nepal |
Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and Koshi Barrage |
|
| Nepal |
Langtang National Park |
|
| Nepal |
Mai Valley forests |
|
| Nepal |
Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve |
|
| Niger |
'W' National Park |
|
| Romania |
Aliman - Adamclisi |
|
| Romania |
Beştepe - Mahmudia |
|
| Romania |
Dealurile Dorobanţu |
|
| Romania |
Denis Tepe |
|
| Romania |
Dobrogei gorge |
|
| Romania |
Dumbrăveni - Plopeni |
|
| Romania |
Hagieni forest |
|
| Romania |
Kogălniceanu - Gura Ialomiţei |
|
| Romania |
Stepa Casimcea |
|
| Romania |
Stepa Saraiu - Horea |
|
| Russia (Central Asian) |
Arkaim |
|
| Russia (Central Asian) |
Birsuat |
|
| Russia (Central Asian) |
Blagoveschenskaya (Kulunda lake and vicinity) |
|
| Russia (Central Asian) |
Bol'shiye and Maliye Donki lakes |
|
| Russia (Central Asian) |
Bol'shoye Beloe lake |
|
| Russia (Central Asian) |
Bottomland of rivers Tobol near villages Lebedevka and Bygrovoe |
|
| Russia (Central Asian) |
Bottomland of Tobol river near villages Lebedevka and Bygrovoe |
|
| Russia (Central Asian) |
Ebeity lake |
|
| Russia (Central Asian) |
Gor'koye lake near Karas'ye village |
|
| Russia (Central Asian) |
Interfluve of the rivers Small and Big Karatanka |
|
| Russia (Central Asian) |
Kurumbel'skaya steppe |
|
| Russia (Central Asian) |
Lake Tavolzhan |
|
| Russia (Central Asian) |
Plateau Ukok |
|
| Russia (Central Asian) |
Siverga lake |
|
| Russia (Central Asian) |
Stekleney Lake |
|
| Russia (Central Asian) |
Uzkaya Steppe |
|
| Russia (European) |
Algaiski |
|
| Russia (European) |
Buinakskaya depression |
|
| Russia (European) |
Bulukhta area |
|
| Russia (European) |
Flood-plain of Alatyr' river in vicinity of Ardatov |
|
| Russia (European) |
Floodplain of Pjana river near village Sarga |
|
| Russia (European) |
Kulaksay lowland |
|
| Russia (European) |
Kupy area |
|
| Russia (European) |
Kurnikov liman |
|
| Russia (European) |
Shalkaro-Zhetykol'ski lake system |
|
| Russia (European) |
Siniye mountains |
|
| Russia (European) |
Stepnovski saltmarshes |
|
| Russia (European) |
Vicinity of Borisoglebovka (Saratovski [Semenovski] Reserve) |
|
| Russia (European) |
Watershed of Bityug and Tsna rivers |
|
| Russia (European) |
Zhestyanka |
|
| Rwanda |
Akagera National Park |
|
| Sudan |
En Nahud |
|
| Syria |
Euphrates valley |
|
| Tanzania |
Mount Kilimanjaro |
|
| Tanzania |
Ngorongoro Conservation Area |
|
| Turkey |
Tuz Lake |
|
| Uganda |
Kidepo Valley National Park |
|
| Uganda |
Murchison Falls National Park |
|
| Uganda |
Queen Elizabeth National Park and Lake George |
|
| Ukraine |
Askania-Nova Biosphere Reserve |
|
| Ukraine |
Korotchenkivs'ki meadows |
|
| Ukraine |
Samars'kyj forest |
|
| Uzbekistan |
Angren Plateau |
|
| Uzbekistan |
South-west Gizzar Foothills |
|
| Zambia |
Bangweulu Swamps |
|
| Zambia |
Kafue Flats |
|
| Zambia |
Kafue National Park |
|
| Zambia |
Kasanka National Park |
|
| Zambia |
Lukanga Swamp |
|
| Zambia |
Nyika National Park (Zambia) |
|
| Zimbabwe |
Nyanga mountains |
|
Habitats & altitude
| Habitat (level 1) |
Habitat (level 2) |
Importance |
Occurrence |
| Forest |
Boreal |
suitable |
breeding |
| Grassland |
Subtropical/Tropical Dry |
suitable |
breeding |
| Grassland |
Subtropical/Tropical Dry |
suitable |
non-breeding |
| Grassland |
Temperate |
major |
breeding |
| Savanna |
Dry |
suitable |
non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) |
Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands |
suitable |
non-breeding |
|
Altitude
|
0 - 4000 m
|
Occasional altitudinal limits
|
|
Threats & impact
| Threat (level 1) |
Threat (level 2) |
Impact and Stresses |
| Agriculture & Aquaculture |
Annual & perennial non-timber crops / Agro-industry farming |
Timing |
Scope |
Severity |
Impact |
| Ongoing |
Majority (50-90%) |
Slow, Significant Decline |
Medium Impact: |
| Stresses |
|---|
| Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion |
|
| Agriculture & Aquaculture |
Annual & perennial non-timber crops / Small-holder farming |
Timing |
Scope |
Severity |
Impact |
| Ongoing |
Majority (50-90%) |
Slow, Significant Decline |
Medium Impact: |
| Stresses |
|---|
| Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion |
|
| Agriculture & Aquaculture |
Livestock farming & ranching / Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming |
Timing |
Scope |
Severity |
Impact |
| Ongoing |
Majority (50-90%) |
Slow, Significant Decline |
Medium Impact: |
| Stresses |
|---|
| Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion |
|
| Natural system modifications |
Fire & fire suppression / Increase in fire frequency/intensity |
Timing |
Scope |
Severity |
Impact |
| Ongoing |
Majority (50-90%) |
Slow, Significant Decline |
Medium Impact: |
| Stresses |
|---|
| Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion |
|
| Pollution |
Agricultural & forestry effluents / Herbicides and pesticides |
Timing |
Scope |
Severity |
Impact |
| Ongoing |
Minority (<50%) |
Slow, Significant Decline |
Low Impact: 5 |
| Stresses |
|---|
| Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion |
|
Utilisation
| Purpose |
Primary form used |
Life stage used |
Source |
Scale |
Level |
Timing |
| Pets |
Whole |
Adults and juveniles |
Wild |
International |
Trivial |
Recent |
| Sport |
Whole |
Adults and juveniles |
Wild |
Subsistence, National |
Non-trivial |
Recent |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Circus macrourus. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 23/05/2013.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 23/05/2013.
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.
email a friend
printable version
close