IUCN Red List Criteria
| Critically Endangered |
C2a(ii) |
| Endangered |
B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v);C2a(i,ii);D |
| Vulnerable |
B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v);C2a(i,ii);D1+2 |
IUCN Red List history
| Year |
Category |
| 2012 |
Critically Endangered |
| 2010 |
Critically Endangered |
| 2009 |
Critically Endangered |
| 2008 |
Critically Endangered |
| 2005 |
Critically Endangered |
| 2004 |
Critically Endangered |
| 2000 |
Critically Endangered |
| 1996 |
Critically Endangered |
| 1994 |
Critically Endangered |
| 1988 |
Threatened |
Species attributes
| Migratory status |
full migrant |
Forest dependency |
Does not normally occur in forest |
| Land mass type |
continent
|
Average mass |
1202 g
|
Distribution
| |
Estimate |
Data quality |
| Extent of Occurrence breeding/resident (km2) |
590 |
medium |
| Extent of Occurrence non-breeding (km2) |
20,500 |
medium |
| Area of Occupancy breeding/resident (km2) |
10 |
good |
| Number of locations |
2-5 |
- |
| Fragmentation |
|
- |
Population & trend
| |
Estimate |
Data quality |
Derivation |
Year of estimate |
| No. of mature individuals |
200-249 |
good |
Estimated |
2006 |
| Population trend |
Decreasing |
medium |
|
- |
| Number of subpopulations |
2 |
- |
- |
- |
| Largest subpopulation |
51-250 |
- |
- |
- |
| Generation length (yrs) |
8 |
- |
- |
- |
|
Population justification: In Souss-Massa National Park and Tamri, Morocco, 102 pairs (i.e. 204 mature individuals) nested, out of 277 adults in 2006 (C. Bowden in litt. 2006). In 2011, at least 100 pairs produced at least 130 fledged young, matching the breeding success of 2010, when 105 pairs fledged 138 young (R. Grimmett in litt. 2011). After the breeding season the total number of birds in the western population may exceed 500 (IAGNBI 2012). Only four mature birds remained in Syria in 2009 (IAGNBI 2012), and in 2011, a single breeding pair fledged two young (R. Grimmett in litt. 2011). The Turkish population now numbers around 100 individuals (IAGNBI 2012), but these managed birds are excluded from the total estimate. |
|
Trend justification: An unquantified decline is indirectly estimated to have occurred over the last three generations. The Moroccan population has been stable since 1980, however Serra (2003) provides reasonable evidence, including testimonies of local people, that in Syria the species was still common 20 years ago and possibly quite abundant 30 years ago. Colonies of several hundred probably existed up until 1980. Although the Turkish population may be now recovering to levels it was at ten or more years ago, this heavily managed population is excluded from the overall trends. |
Country/Territory distribution
| Country/Territory |
Occurrence status |
Extinct |
Breeding |
Non-breeding |
Passage |
| Algeria |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Cape Verde |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
|
| Egypt |
Vagrant |
Yes |
|
|
|
| Eritrea |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
|
| Ethiopia |
Native |
Yes |
|
Yes |
|
| Germany |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
|
| Iraq |
Native |
possibly |
|
|
|
| Israel |
Native |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Yes |
| Jordan |
Native |
No |
|
|
Yes |
| Mali |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
|
| Mauritania |
Native |
No |
|
|
|
| Montenegro |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
|
| Morocco |
Native |
No |
|
|
|
| Portugal |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
|
| Saudi Arabia |
Native |
No |
|
|
Yes |
| Senegal |
Native |
Yes |
Yes |
|
|
| Serbia |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
|
| Somalia |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
|
| Spain |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
|
| Sudan |
Native |
Yes |
|
Yes |
|
| Syria |
Native |
No |
Yes |
|
|
| Turkey |
Reintroduced |
No |
Yes |
|
|
| Western Sahara |
Vagrant |
No |
|
|
|
| Yemen |
Native |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
Important Bird Areas where this species has triggered the IBA criteria
| Country/Territory |
IBA Name |
IBA link |
| Morocco |
Oued Matil: Ksob |
 |
| Morocco |
Parc National de Souss-Massa and Aglou |
|
| Morocco |
Tamri and Imsouane |
|
| Morocco |
Tarhazoute |
|
| Saudi Arabia |
National Wildlife Research Center and environs, Taif |
|
| Syria |
Tadmur desert and mountains |
|
| Turkey |
Southern Euphrates Valley and Birecik Plains |
|
| Yemen |
Al-Kadan area |
|
| Yemen |
Ta'izz wadis |
|
Habitats & altitude
| Habitat (level 1) |
Habitat (level 2) |
Importance |
Occurrence |
| Artificial/Terrestrial |
Arable Land |
major |
non-breeding |
| Artificial/Terrestrial |
Pastureland |
major |
non-breeding |
| Caves and Subterranean Habitats (non-aquatic) |
Caves |
suitable |
breeding |
| Grassland |
Subtropical/Tropical High Altitude |
suitable |
non-breeding |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal |
Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands |
suitable |
breeding |
| Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) |
|
major |
breeding |
| Shrubland |
Subtropical/Tropical Dry |
major |
non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) |
Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls) |
suitable |
resident |
|
Altitude
|
0 - 1400 m
|
Occasional altitudinal limits
|
|
Threats & impact
| Threat (level 1) |
Threat (level 2) |
Impact and Stresses |
| Residential & commercial development |
Housing & urban areas |
Timing |
Scope |
Severity |
Impact |
| Ongoing |
Minority (<50%) |
Rapid Declines |
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 |
Minority (<50%) |
Slow, Significant Decline |
Low Impact: 5 |
| Stresses |
|---|
| Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion |
|
| Biological resource use |
Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals / Intentional use (species is the target) |
Timing |
Scope |
Severity |
Impact |
| Ongoing |
Majority (50-90%) |
Rapid Declines |
Medium Impact: |
| Stresses |
|---|
| Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality |
|
| Human intrusions & disturbance |
Recreational activities |
Timing |
Scope |
Severity |
Impact |
| Past, Likely to Return |
Majority (50-90%) |
Slow, Significant Decline |
Past Impact |
| Stresses |
|---|
| Species disturbance |
|
| Natural system modifications |
Dams & water management/use / Dams (size unknown) |
Timing |
Scope |
Severity |
Impact |
| Past, Unlikely to Return |
Minority (<50%) |
Slow, Significant Decline |
Past Impact |
| Stresses |
|---|
| Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion |
|
| Natural system modifications |
Other ecosystem modifications |
Timing |
Scope |
Severity |
Impact |
| Past, Unlikely to Return |
Majority (50-90%) |
Rapid Declines |
Past Impact |
| Stresses |
|---|
| Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion |
|
| Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases |
Problematic native species/diseases |
Timing |
Scope |
Severity |
Impact |
| Ongoing |
Whole (>90%) |
Negligible declines |
Medium Impact: |
| Stresses |
|---|
| Reduced reproductive success |
|
| Pollution |
Agricultural & forestry effluents / Type Unknown/Unrecorded |
Timing |
Scope |
Severity |
Impact |
| Past, Likely to Return |
Majority (50-90%) |
Rapid Declines |
Past Impact |
| Stresses |
|---|
| Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion, Species mortality |
|
Utilisation
| Purpose |
Primary form used |
Life stage used |
Source |
Scale |
Level |
Timing |
| Food (human) |
Whole |
Adults and juveniles |
Wild |
Subsistence, National |
Non-trivial |
Recent |
| Pets |
Whole |
Adults and juveniles |
Wild |
International |
Non-trivial |
Recent |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Geronticus eremita. 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