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Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
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 | not a migrant | Forest dependency | Does not normally occur in forest |
| Land mass type | Average mass | - |
Distribution
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence breeding/resident (km2) | 13,300,000 | medium |
| Extent of Occurrence non-breeding (km2) | 13,400,000 | 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) | 11 | - | - | - |
| Population justification: In Europe, the breeding population is estimated to number 43,000-110,000 breeding pairs, equating to 129,000-330,000 individuals (BirdLife International 2004). Europe forms 25-49% of the global range, so a very preliminary estimate of the global population size is 263,000-1,320,000 individuals, although further validation of this estimate is needed. The population in China has been estimated at c.100-10,000 breeding pairs (Brazil 2009). | ||||
| Trend justification: The population is estimated to be in decline following noted decreases in the European population (Madge and Burn 1993). In Europe, trends since 1980 are uncertain, based on provisional data for 21 countries from the Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme (EBCC/RSPB/BirdLife/Statistics Netherlands; P. Vorisek in litt. 2008). | ||||
Country/Territory distribution
| Country/Territory | Occurrence status | Extinct | Breeding | Non-breeding | Passage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Native | No | |||
| Albania | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Algeria | Native | No | |||
| Andorra | Native | No | |||
| Armenia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Austria | Vagrant | No | Yes | ||
| Azerbaijan | Native | No | |||
| Belgium | Vagrant | No | Yes | ||
| Bhutan | Native | No | |||
| Bulgaria | Vagrant | No | Yes | ||
| China (mainland) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Egypt | Vagrant | No | Yes | ||
| Ethiopia | Native | No | |||
| France | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Georgia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Germany | Vagrant | No | Yes | ||
| Gibraltar (to UK) | Vagrant | No | Yes | ||
| Greece | Native | No | |||
| Hungary | Vagrant | No | Yes | ||
| India | Native | No | |||
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Native | No | |||
| Iraq | Native | No | |||
| Ireland | Native | No | |||
| Israel | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Italy | Native | No | |||
| Kazakhstan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Kyrgyzstan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Lebanon | Native | possibly | |||
| Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of | Native | No | |||
| Mongolia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Montenegro | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Morocco | Native | No | |||
| Nepal | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Pakistan | Native | No | |||
| Portugal | Native | No | |||
| Russia (Asian) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Russia (Central Asian) | Native | No | |||
| Russia (European) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Serbia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Slovakia | Vagrant | No | Yes | ||
| Slovenia | Native | Yes | Yes | ||
| South Korea | Vagrant | No | Yes | ||
| Spain | Native | No | |||
| Switzerland | Native | No | |||
| Syria | Native | No | |||
| Tajikistan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Tunisia | Native | Yes | Yes | ||
| Turkey | Native | No | |||
| Turkmenistan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| United Kingdom | Native | No | |||
| Uzbekistan | Native | No | Yes |
Important Bird Areas where this species has triggered the IBA criteria
| Country/Territory | IBA Name | IBA link |
|---|---|---|
| Andorra | Pirineo de Andorra |  |
| France | Baies de Morlaix et de Carantec | |
| France | Cirque de Gavarnie | |
| France | Gorges de la Dourbie et causses avoisinants | |
| France | Gorges du Tarn et de la Jonte | |
| France | Hautes Corbières | |
| France | Hautes Vallées d'Aspe et d'Ossau | |
| France | Ile d'Ouessant | |
| France | Massif du Canigou-Carança | |
| France | Massif du Madres et Mont Coronat | |
| France | Parc National de la Vanoise | |
| France | Parc National des Cévennes | |
| France | Parc National des Ecrins | |
| France | Parc National du Mercantour | |
| France | Préalpes de Grasse | |
| France | Puig Carlit et environs | |
| France | Vallée du Haut-Guil | |
| France | Vallées du Lis et de la Pique | |
| Greece | Delimidi and Fteri mountains, Agrafa | |
| Greece | Lefka mountains | |
| Greece | Mount Asterousia (Kofinas) | |
| Greece | Mount Ghiona, Reka ravine, Lazorema, and Vathia Lakka | |
| Greece | Mount Idi | |
| Greece | Mount Taigetos | |
| Greece | Mounts Tsamanta, Filiaton, Pharmakovouni, and Megali Rahi | |
| Greece | Timfi (Gamila) and Smolikas mountains | |
| Portugal | Gerês mountains | |
| Portugal | Montesinho and Nogueira mountains | |
| Portugal | Serras do Alvão e Marão | |
| Portugal | South-west coast of Portugal | |
| Portugal | Upper River Douro and Águeda valleys | |
| Serbia | Sara mountain | |
| Spain | Antequera mountain range-El Chorro | |
| Spain | Bardenas Reales | |
| Spain | Belagua-Ansó-Hecho | |
| Spain | Boumort mountains | |
| Spain | Burete, Cambrón and Espuña mountain ranges | |
| Spain | Cadí mountains | |
| Spain | Cazorla and Segura mountain ranges | |
| Spain | Cerdaña | |
| Spain | Cortados del Jarama | |
| Spain | Cuenca mountain ranges | |
| Spain | Dos Ríos and Orba mountain ranges | |
| Spain | Duratón canyon | |
| Spain | El Canal y Los Tiles laurel forest | |
| Spain | Espadán mountain range | |
| Spain | Garafía rocky islets | |
| Spain | Guara mountain range | |
| Spain | Hoya de Guadix | |
| Spain | La Almenara mountain range-Cape Cope | |
| Spain | La Cabrera mountain range | |
| Spain | La Caldera de Taburiente National Park | |
| Spain | La Losa-Orduña (Salvada mountain range) | |
| Spain | La Palma laurel forest | |
| Spain | La Safor and North Alicante mountain ranges | |
| Spain | Marina mountain ranges | |
| Spain | Montes Aquilanos range | |
| Spain | Montsech and Montgai mountains | |
| Spain | Morella pass | |
| Spain | Mountain ranges of Cordoba | |
| Spain | Mountain ranges south of Jaén | |
| Spain | Oña and Tesla mountain ranges | |
| Spain | Obarenes mountains | |
| Spain | Ordesa-Bielsa | |
| Spain | Peña Labra and Cordel mountain ranges | |
| Spain | Peñagolosa | |
| Spain | Pila mountain range | |
| Spain | Posets-Maladeta | |
| Spain | Prelittoral mountain ranges of Granada | |
| Spain | Río Huebra-Arribes del Duero | |
| Spain | Redbeeds and copses of Aranjuez | |
| Spain | Riaño | |
| Spain | River Guadalope | |
| Spain | River Martín canyons and Arcos mountain range | |
| Spain | Rivers Cabriel and Júcar canyons | |
| Spain | San Juan de la Peña-Oroel crag | |
| Spain | San Mauricio-Bohí-Beret | |
| Spain | Sant Gervás mountains | |
| Spain | Santo Domingo-Riglos-Gratal | |
| Spain | Segovia | |
| Spain | Sierra Nevada mountain range | |
| Spain | Torrecilla and Gigante mountain ranges | |
| Spain | Turbón-Espés-Sis | |
| Spain | Turia canyon and Los Serranos | |
| Spain | Upper sections of the rivers Tajo and Tajuña | |
| Spain | Valdegovía-Arcena mountain range | |
| United Kingdom | Antrim Hills | |
| United Kingdom | Calf of Man | |
| United Kingdom | Colonsay and Oronsay | |
| United Kingdom | Craig yr Aderyn (Birds Rock) | |
| United Kingdom | Glannau Aberdaron and Ynys Enlli | |
| United Kingdom | Glannau Ynys Gybi/Holy Island Coast | |
| United Kingdom | Isle of Man Sea Cliffs | |
| United Kingdom | Mid Ceredigion Coast (Aberystwyth - Llanrhystud) | |
| United Kingdom | Mynydd Cilan, Trwyn y Wylfa ac Ynysoedd Sant Tudwal | |
| United Kingdom | North Ceredigion Coast (Borth - Aberystwyth) | |
| United Kingdom | North Colonsay and Western Cliffs | |
| United Kingdom | Oronsay and South Colonsay | |
| United Kingdom | Pembrokeshire Cliffs | |
| United Kingdom | Rinns of Islay | |
| United Kingdom | Skokholm and Skomer | |
| United Kingdom | South Ceredigion Coast (Llangranog) | |
| United Kingdom | The Oa | |
| United Kingdom | Trefor | |
Habitats & altitude
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artificial/Terrestrial | Pastureland | suitable | resident |
| Grassland | Temperate | suitable | resident |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands | suitable | resident |
| Marine Intertidal | Rocky Shoreline | suitable | resident |
| Marine Intertidal | Tidepools | suitable | resident |
| Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | major | resident | |
| Shrubland | Mediterranean-type Shrubby Vegetation | suitable | resident |
| Altitude | 0 - 0 m | Occasional altitudinal limits | (max) 7950 m |
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 |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 20/05/2013.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 20/05/2013.
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 | Least Concern |
| Family | Corvidae (Crows and jays) |
| Species name author | (Linnaeus, 1758) |
| Population size | mature individuals |
| Population trend | Decreasing |
| Distribution size (breeding/resident) | 13,300,000 km2 |
| Country endemic? | No |
| Links to further information | |
| - Summary information on this species | |
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