email a friend
printable version
closeNT
Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus
IUCN Red List Criteria
| Near Threatened (criteria nearly met) | A2bc+3bc+4bc |
IUCN Red List history
| Year | Category |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Near Threatened |
| 2008 | Near Threatened |
| 2005 | Near Threatened |
| 2004 | Least Concern |
| 2000 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
| 1994 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
| 1988 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
Species attributes
| Migratory status | full migrant | Forest dependency | Low |
| Land mass type | Average mass | - |
Distribution
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence breeding/resident (km2) | 4,380,000 | medium |
| Extent of Occurrence non-breeding (km2) | 4,380,000 | medium |
| Number of locations | - | |
| Fragmentation | - |
Population & trend
| Estimate | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of mature individuals | medium | Estimated | 2001 | |
| Population trend | Decreasing | - | ||
| Number of subpopulations | - | - | - | |
| Largest subpopulation | - | - | - | |
| Generation length (yrs) | 5.7 | - | - | - |
| Population justification: The global population is estimated to number 300,000-800,000 individuals, with 26,000-39,000 pairs in Europe. | ||||
| Trend justification: The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction. The European population (forming 25-49% of the global population) is continuing to suffer declines exceeding 30% in ten years (three generations). | ||||
Country/Territory distribution
| Country/Territory | Occurrence status | Extinct | Breeding | Non-breeding | Passage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Vagrant | No | |||
| Albania | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Algeria | Native | No | |||
| Angola | Native | No | |||
| Armenia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Austria | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Azerbaijan | Native | No | |||
| Belarus | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Belgium | Vagrant | No | |||
| Benin | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Native | No | |||
| Botswana | Native | No | |||
| Bulgaria | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Burkina Faso | Native | No | |||
| Burundi | Native | No | |||
| Cameroon | Native | No | |||
| Côte d'Ivoire | Native | No | |||
| Central African Republic | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Chad | Native | No | |||
| China (mainland) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Congo, The Democratic Republic of the | Native | No | |||
| Croatia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Cyprus | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Czech Republic | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Denmark | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Djibouti | Vagrant | No | |||
| Egypt | Native | No | |||
| Estonia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Ethiopia | Native | No | |||
| Finland | Native | No | |||
| France | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Gabon | Vagrant | No | |||
| Gambia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Georgia | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Germany | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Ghana | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Gibraltar (to UK) | Vagrant | No | |||
| Greece | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Hungary | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Iraq | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Ireland | Vagrant | No | |||
| Israel | Native | No | |||
| Italy | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Jordan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Kazakhstan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Kenya | Native | No | |||
| Kuwait | Vagrant | No | Yes | ||
| Kyrgyzstan | Unknown | No | |||
| Latvia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Lebanon | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Lesotho | Vagrant | No | Yes | ||
| Liberia | Vagrant | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Libya | Native | No | |||
| Liechtenstein | Native | No | |||
| Luxembourg | Vagrant | No | |||
| Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of | Native | No | |||
| Malawi | Native | No | |||
| Mali | Native | No | |||
| Malta | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Mauritania | Native | No | |||
| Moldova | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Montenegro | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Morocco | Vagrant | No | |||
| Mozambique | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Namibia | Native | No | |||
| Netherlands | Vagrant | No | |||
| Niger | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Nigeria | Native | No | |||
| Norway | Vagrant | No | |||
| Palestinian Authority Territories | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Poland | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Portugal | Vagrant | No | |||
| Romania | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Russia (Asian) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Russia (Central Asian) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Russia (European) | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Rwanda | Native | No | |||
| San Marino | Unknown | No | Yes | ||
| Saudi Arabia | Vagrant | No | Yes | ||
| São Tomé e Príncipe | Vagrant | No | |||
| Senegal | Native | No | |||
| Serbia | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Seychelles | Vagrant | No | |||
| Slovakia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Slovenia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Somalia | Vagrant | No | |||
| South Africa | Native | No | |||
| Spain | Vagrant | No | |||
| Sudan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Swaziland | Vagrant | No | |||
| Sweden | Native | No | |||
| Switzerland | Native | No | |||
| Syria | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Tajikistan | Vagrant | No | |||
| Tanzania | Native | No | |||
| Togo | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Tunisia | Native | No | |||
| Turkey | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Turkmenistan | Vagrant | No | |||
| Uganda | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Ukraine | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| United Arab Emirates | Vagrant | No | Yes | ||
| United Kingdom | Vagrant | No | |||
| USA | Vagrant | No | |||
| Uzbekistan | Vagrant | No | |||
| Yemen | Vagrant | No | Yes | ||
| Zambia | Native | No | |||
| Zimbabwe | Native | No |
Important Bird Areas where this species has triggered the IBA criteria
| Country/Territory | IBA Name | IBA link |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | Parndorfer Platte and Heideboden |  |
| Botswana | Lake Ngami | |
| Botswana | Okavango Delta | |
| Bulgaria | Atanasovsko Lake | |
| Bulgaria | Durankulak Lake | |
| Bulgaria | Kaliakra | |
| Bulgaria | Ropotamo Complex | |
| Bulgaria | Shabla Lake Complex | |
| Bulgaria | Zlatiata | |
| Cyprus | Akrotiri Peninsula - Episkopi Cliffs | |
| Cyprus | Pafos plain | |
| Hungary | Alkaline lakes of Kiskunság | |
| Hungary | Bihar Plain | |
| Hungary | Borsodi-Mezőség | |
| Hungary | Heves Plain | |
| Hungary | Hortobágy and Tisza-to | |
| Hungary | Kaszáló Wood of Abony | |
| Kazakhstan | Alekseevskie steppe pine forests | |
| Kazakhstan | Ereymentau Mountains | |
| Romania | Alceului valley | |
| Romania | Aliman - Adamclisi | |
| Romania | Allah Bair - Capidava | |
| Romania | Avrig - Scorei - Făgăraş | |
| Romania | Babadag wood | |
| Romania | Balta Mică a Brăilei | |
| Romania | Barcă river flood-plain | |
| Romania | Bârnova woodland | |
| Romania | Beştepe - Mahmudia | |
| Romania | Braţul Borcea | |
| Romania | Băneasa - Canaraua Fetei | |
| Romania | Câmpia Cermeiului | |
| Romania | Câmpia Crişurilor | |
| Romania | Câmpia Nirului - Valea lerului | |
| Romania | Comana | |
| Romania | Danube Delta | |
| Romania | Denis Tepe | |
| Romania | Dobrogei gorge | |
| Romania | Dunăre - Canarale - Hârşova | |
| Romania | Dunăre - Ostroave | |
| Romania | Dunărea Veche (Braţul Măcin) | |
| Romania | Hagieni forest | |
| Romania | Horga - Zorleni | |
| Romania | Hunedoara Timişană | |
| Romania | Ilfov reservoir | |
| Romania | Jijiei şi Miletinului fish-ponds | |
| Romania | Kogălniceanu - Gura Ialomiţei | |
| Romania | Lake Beibugeac (Plopu) | |
| Romania | Lake Brateş | |
| Romania | Lake Siutghiol | |
| Romania | Lake Taşaul | |
| Romania | Mândra wetlands | |
| Romania | Miheşu de Câmpie-Taureni fish-ponds | |
| Romania | Prut river flood-plain - Vlădeşti - Frumuşiţa | |
| Romania | Radomir wood | |
| Romania | Satchinez marsh | |
| Romania | Stepa Casimcea | |
| Romania | Stepa Saraiu - Horea | |
| Russia (Central Asian) | Baturino-Simansky area | |
| Russia (Central Asian) | Bol'shiye and Maliye Donki lakes | |
| Russia (Central Asian) | Chernoye Lake | |
| Russia (Central Asian) | Kazanskaya flood-plain of river Ishim | |
| Russia (Central Asian) | Kurumbel'skaya steppe | |
| Russia (Central Asian) | Pershinsko-Manatkinsky area | |
| Russia (Central Asian) | Sibirskaya anabranch (Irtysh flood-plain) | |
| Russia (Central Asian) | Sources of the rivers Big Karaganka and Syntasty | |
| Russia (European) | Buninski forest | |
| Russia (European) | Floodplain of Ilek river near Pokrovka | |
| Russia (European) | Irgaklinski forest | |
| Russia (European) | Karanogaiskiye steppes | |
| Russia (European) | Leninsk forest area | |
| Russia (European) | Lysyi Liman lake and valley of Vostochniy Manych river | |
| Russia (European) | Severo-donetskaya | |
| Russia (European) | Sources of Akshibai river | |
| Russia (European) | Taman' | |
| Russia (European) | Vicinity of Borisoglebovka (Saratovski [Semenovski] Reserve) | |
| Serbia | Jazovo-Mokrin | |
| Serbia | Subotica lakes and sandy terrain | |
| Slovenia | Lake Cerknica | |
| Slovenia | Ljubljansko moor | |
| Ukraine | Agricultural lands near Bilorets'ke (Chornozemne village) | |
| Ukraine | Berezans'kyj lyman and Solonets Tuzly pond | |
| Ukraine | Carpathian Vulkanichnyj Mountains | |
| Ukraine | Chauda | |
| Ukraine | Gajchur river valley | |
| Ukraine | Kakhovs'ke reservoir (Knyazhe-Grigorivka village) | |
| Ukraine | Kakhovs'ke reservoir (Vasylivka village) | |
| Ukraine | Konka river mouth | |
| Ukraine | Kremenets'kyj forest | |
| Ukraine | Mokri Yasli forestry plantation | |
Habitats & altitude
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artificial/Terrestrial | Arable Land | suitable | breeding |
| Artificial/Terrestrial | Pastureland | suitable | breeding |
| Forest | Boreal | suitable | breeding |
| Forest | Temperate | suitable | breeding |
| Grassland | Subtropical/Tropical Dry | suitable | non-breeding |
| Grassland | Temperate | suitable | breeding |
| Savanna | Dry | suitable | non-breeding |
| Shrubland | Subtropical/Tropical Dry | suitable | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands | suitable | breeding |
| Altitude | 0 - 1500 m | Occasional altitudinal limits |
Threats & impact
| Threat (level 1) | Threat (level 2) | Impact and Stresses | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biological resource use | Gathering terrestrial plants / Unintentional effects (species is not the target) | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Past, Unlikely to Return | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Decline | Past Impact | ||||||
| |||||||||
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents / Herbicides and pesticides | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Majority (50-90%) | Slow, Significant Decline | Medium Impact: | ||||||
| |||||||||
Utilisation
| Purpose | Primary form used | Life stage used | Source | Scale | Level | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pets | Whole | Adults and juveniles | Wild | International | Non-trivial | Recent |
| Sport | Whole | Adults and juveniles | Wild | Subsistence, National | Non-trivial | Recent |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Falco vespertinus. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 21/05/2013.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 21/05/2013.
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.
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| Current IUCN Red List category | Near Threatened |
| Family | Falconidae (Falcons and caracaras) |
| Species name author | Linnaeus, 1766 |
| Population size | mature individuals |
| Population trend | Decreasing |
| Distribution size (breeding/resident) | 4,380,000 km2 |
| Country endemic? | No |
| Links to further information | |
| - Summary information on this species | |
|
|