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LC
Intermediate Egret Mesophoyx intermedia

IUCN Red List history

Year Category
2012 Least Concern
2009 Least Concern
2008 Least Concern
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) 27,100,000 medium
Extent of Occurrence non-breeding (km2) 28,700,000 medium
Number of locations -
Fragmentation -

Population & trend

  Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
No. of mature individuals poor Estimated 2009
Population trend Decreasing -
Number of subpopulations - - -
Largest subpopulation - - -
Generation length (yrs) 5.6 - - -
Population justification: The global population is estimated to number c.180,000-1,300,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2006), while national population estimates include: c.10,000-100,000 breeding pairs, c.1,000-10,000 individuals on migration and c.1,000-10,000 wintering individuals in China; < c.100 breeding pairs and c.1,000-10,000 wintering individuals in Taiwan; c.100-10,000 breeding pairs, c.50-1,000 individuals on migration and < c.50 wintering individuals in Korea and c.10,000-100,000 breeding pairs, c.1,000-10,000 individuals on migration and < c.50 wintering individuals in Japan (Brazil 2009).
Trend justification: The overall population trend is decreasing, although some populations may be stable and others have unknown trends (Wetlands International 2006).

Country/Territory distribution

Country/Territory Occurrence status Extinct Breeding Non-breeding Passage
Angola Native No      
Australia Native No      
Bangladesh Native No      
Benin Native No      
Bhutan Native No      
Botswana Native No      
Brunei Native No      
Burkina Faso Native No      
Burundi Native No      
Cambodia Native No      
Cameroon Native No      
Cape Verde Native No      
Côte d'Ivoire Native No      
Central African Republic Native No      
Chad Native No      
China (mainland) Native No      
Christmas Island (to Australia) Vagrant No      
Congo Native No      
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Native No      
Eritrea Native No      
Ethiopia Native No      
Gabon Native No      
Gambia Native No      
Ghana Native No      
Guam (to USA) Native No   Yes  
Guinea Native No      
Guinea-Bissau Native No      
India Native No      
Indonesia Native No      
Japan Native No      
Jordan Vagrant No      
Kenya Native No      
Laos Native No      
Lesotho Native No      
Liberia Native No      
Malawi Native No      
Malaysia Native No      
Maldives Vagrant No      
Mali Native No Yes    
Mauritania Native No      
Micronesia, Federated States of Native No   Yes  
Mozambique Native No      
Myanmar Native No      
Namibia Native No      
Nepal Native No      
New Zealand Vagrant No      
Niger Native No      
Nigeria Native No      
North Korea Native No      
Northern Mariana Islands (to USA) Native No   Yes  
Oman Native No   Yes  
Pakistan Native No      
Palau Native No   Yes  
Papua New Guinea Native No      
Philippines Native No      
Russia (Asian) Native No      
Rwanda Native No      
Senegal Native No      
Seychelles Vagrant No      
Sierra Leone Native No      
Singapore Native No      
Somalia Native No      
South Africa Native No      
South Korea Native No      
South Sudan Native No      
Sri Lanka Native No      
Sudan Native No      
Swaziland Native No      
Taiwan (China) Native No      
Tanzania Native No      
Thailand Native No      
Timor-Leste Native No      
Uganda Native No      
United Arab Emirates Vagrant No   Yes  
USA Vagrant No      
Vietnam Native No      
Yemen Vagrant No   Yes  
Zambia Native No Yes    
Zimbabwe Native No      

Important Bird Areas where this species has triggered the IBA criteria

Country/Territory IBA Name IBA link
Australia Alligator Rivers Floodplains site factsheet
Australia Gwydir Wetlands site factsheet
Australia Macquarie Marshes site factsheet
Cambodia Veal Srongae site factsheet
China (mainland) Wuchishan Dao Nature Reserve site factsheet
Indonesia Dataran Banjir Ogan Komering site factsheet
Kenya Tana River Delta site factsheet
Mali Koumbé Niasso site factsheet
Mali Lac Débo - Lac Oualado Débo site factsheet
Philippines Buguey wetlands site factsheet
Sri Lanka Muturajawela site factsheet
Thailand Lower Central Plain site factsheet
Thailand Sanambin Non Hunting Area site factsheet
Uganda Kibimba Rice Scheme site factsheet
Zambia Kafue Flats site factsheet

Habitats & altitude

Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine Irrigated Land (includes irrigation channels) suitable breeding
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine Irrigated Land (includes irrigation channels) suitable non-breeding
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine Ponds (below 8ha) suitable non-breeding
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine Ponds (below 8ha) suitable breeding
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine Seasonally Flooded Agricultural Land suitable non-breeding
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine Seasonally Flooded Agricultural Land suitable breeding
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Mangrove Vegetation Above High Tide Level suitable breeding
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Mangrove Vegetation Above High Tide Level suitable non-breeding
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Swamp suitable breeding
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Swamp suitable non-breeding
Grassland Subtropical/Tropical Seasonally Wet/Flooded suitable breeding
Grassland Subtropical/Tropical Seasonally Wet/Flooded suitable non-breeding
Marine Coastal/Supratidal Coastal Brackish/Saline Lagoons/Marine Lakes suitable non-breeding
Marine Coastal/Supratidal Coastal Brackish/Saline Lagoons/Marine Lakes suitable breeding
Marine Coastal/Supratidal Coastal Freshwater Lakes suitable non-breeding
Marine Coastal/Supratidal Coastal Freshwater Lakes suitable breeding
Marine Intertidal Mud Flats and Salt Flats suitable breeding
Marine Intertidal Mud Flats and Salt Flats suitable non-breeding
Marine Intertidal Salt Marshes (Emergent Grasses) suitable non-breeding
Marine Intertidal Salt Marshes (Emergent Grasses) suitable breeding
Marine Neritic Estuaries suitable non-breeding
Marine Neritic Estuaries suitable breeding
Wetlands (inland) Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands suitable breeding
Wetlands (inland) Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands suitable non-breeding
Wetlands (inland) Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) suitable non-breeding
Wetlands (inland) Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) suitable breeding
Wetlands (inland) Permanent Inland Deltas suitable non-breeding
Wetlands (inland) Permanent Inland Deltas suitable breeding
Wetlands (inland) Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls) suitable non-breeding
Wetlands (inland) Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls) suitable breeding
Wetlands (inland) Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Marshes/Pools suitable non-breeding
Wetlands (inland) Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Marshes/Pools suitable breeding
Wetlands (inland) Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) suitable breeding
Wetlands (inland) Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) suitable non-breeding
Wetlands (inland) Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under 8ha) suitable non-breeding
Wetlands (inland) Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under 8ha) suitable breeding
Wetlands (inland) Seasonal/Intermittent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Lakes and Flats suitable non-breeding
Wetlands (inland) Seasonal/Intermittent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Lakes and Flats suitable breeding
Altitude 0 - 1450 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Threats & impact

Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses
Biological resource use Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources / Unintentional effects: (subsistence/small scale) Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Decline Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Natural system modifications Dams & water management/use / Abstraction of surface water (agricultural use) Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Decline Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Natural system modifications Fire & fire suppression / Increase in fire frequency/intensity Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Decline Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Species disturbance, Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases / plant (Mimosa pigra) Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Decline Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases / plant (Salvinia molesta) Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Decline Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases / Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Decline Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Pollution Industrial & military effluents / Seepage from mining Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Decline Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Pollution Domestic & urban waste water / Type Unknown/Unrecorded Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Decline Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Species mortality
Climate change & severe weather Habitat shifting & alteration Timing Scope Severity Impact
Future Minority (<50%) Unknown Unknown
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion

Utilisation

Purpose Primary form used Life stage used Source Scale Level Timing
Pets Whole Adults and juveniles Wild Subsistence, National Non-trivial Recent
Food (human) Whole Adults and juveniles Wild Subsistence, National Non-trivial Recent
Pets Whole Adults and juveniles Wild International Non-trivial Recent
Handicrafts, jewellery, decorations, curios Whole Adults and juveniles Wild Subsistence, National Non-trivial Recent

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Mesophoyx intermedia. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/06/2013. Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/06/2013.

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 Least Concern
Family Ardeidae (Herons and egrets)
Species name author (Wagler, 1829)
Population size mature individuals
Population trend Decreasing
Distribution size (breeding/resident) 27,100,000 km2
Country endemic? No
Links to further information
- Summary information on this species
- Climate change species distributions