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LC
Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana

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 19.9 g

Distribution

  Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence breeding/resident (km2) 627,000
Extent of Occurrence non-breeding (km2) 627,000
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) 3.6 - - -
Population justification: In Europe, the breeding population is estimated to number 5,200,000-16,000,000 breeding pairs, equating to 15,600,000-48,000,000 individuals (BirdLife International 2004). Europe forms 50-74% of the global range, so a very preliminary estimate of the global population size is 21,100,000-96,000,000 individuals, although further validation of this estimate is needed.
Trend justification: The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction.

Country/Territory distribution

Country/Territory Occurrence status Extinct Breeding Non-breeding Passage
Afghanistan Vagrant No      
Albania Native No Yes    
Algeria Native No      
Andorra Native No Yes    
Armenia Native No Yes    
Austria Native No Yes    
Azerbaijan Native No Yes    
Bahrain Native No     Yes
Belarus Native No Yes    
Belgium Native No Yes    
Bosnia and Herzegovina Native No Yes    
Bulgaria Native No Yes    
Cameroon Vagrant No      
Côte d'Ivoire Native No      
Chad Native No      
China (mainland) Native No      
Croatia Native No Yes    
Cyprus Native No     Yes
Czech Republic Native No Yes    
Denmark Native No     Yes
Djibouti Native No      
Egypt Native No      
Eritrea Native No      
Estonia Native No Yes    
Ethiopia Native No      
Faroe Islands (to Denmark) Vagrant No      
Finland Native No Yes   Yes
France Native No Yes   Yes
Georgia Native No Yes    
Germany Native No Yes   Yes
Gibraltar (to UK) Native No      
Greece Native No Yes   Yes
Guinea Native No      
Hungary Native No Yes    
Iceland Vagrant No      
Iran, Islamic Republic of Native No Yes   Yes
Iraq Native No     Yes
Ireland Native No      
Israel Native No      
Italy Native No Yes   Yes
Japan Vagrant No      
Jordan Native No     Yes
Kazakhstan Native No Yes    
Kenya Vagrant No      
Kuwait Native No     Yes
Latvia Native No Yes    
Lebanon Native No Yes   Yes
Libya Native No      
Liechtenstein Native No      
Lithuania Native No Yes    
Luxembourg Vagrant No      
Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Native No Yes    
Mali Native No      
Malta Native No      
Mauritania Native No      
Moldova Native No Yes    
Mongolia Native No Yes    
Montenegro Native No Yes    
Morocco Native No      
Netherlands Native No Yes    
Nigeria Native No      
Norway Native No Yes    
Oman Native No     Yes
Palestinian Authority Territories Native No     Yes
Poland Native No Yes    
Portugal Native No Yes    
Qatar Native No     Yes
Romania Native No Yes    
Russia (Asian) Native No Yes    
Russia (Central Asian) Native No Yes    
Russia (European) Native No Yes    
Saudi Arabia Native No     Yes
Senegal Native No      
Serbia Native No Yes    
Seychelles Vagrant No      
Sierra Leone Native No      
Slovakia Native No Yes    
Slovenia Native No Yes    
Somalia Native No      
South Korea Vagrant No      
Spain Native No Yes    
Sudan Native No   Yes  
Sweden Native No Yes    
Switzerland Native No Yes    
Syria Native No Yes   Yes
Tajikistan Vagrant No      
Tunisia Native No      
Turkey Native No Yes    
Turkmenistan Native No     Yes
Uganda Native No      
Ukraine Native No Yes    
United Arab Emirates Native No     Yes
United Kingdom Native No     Yes
Uzbekistan Native No      
Western Sahara Native No      
Yemen Native No   Yes Yes

Important Bird Areas where this species has triggered the IBA criteria

Country/Territory IBA Name IBA link
Austria Inn valley between Stams and Haiming site factsheet
Bulgaria Devetashko Plateau site factsheet
Bulgaria Kamchiyska Mountain site factsheet
Bulgaria Ludogorie site factsheet
Bulgaria Mesta Valley site factsheet
Bulgaria Provadiysko-Royaksko plateau site factsheet
Bulgaria Sredna Gora site factsheet
Bulgaria Strandzha site factsheet
Bulgaria Studenets site factsheet
Bulgaria Western Balkan site factsheet
Bulgaria Zlatiata site factsheet
Czech Republic Hovoransko-Cejkovicko site factsheet
Estonia Lahemaa site factsheet
Estonia Väinameri site factsheet
France Forêt de Saou site factsheet
France Gorges de la Vis et cirque de Navacelles site factsheet
France Hautes garrigues du Montpellierais site factsheet
France Hautes Vallées d'Aspe et d'Ossau site factsheet
France Les Couzes Nord site factsheet
France Massif du Petit Lubéron site factsheet
France Minervois site factsheet
France Montagne de la Clape site factsheet
France Montagnes de Marcou, de l'Espinouse et du Caroux site factsheet
France Parc National des Ecrins site factsheet
France Plaine des Maures site factsheet
France Plaines de Mirebeau et de Neuville-du-Poitou site factsheet
France Vallée de la Loire : gorges de la Loire site factsheet
Greece Filiouri river valley and east Rodopi mountains site factsheet
Greece Kompsatos valley site factsheet
Greece Mount Iti site factsheet
Greece Mounts Kato Olympos and Ossa, and Tembi ravine site factsheet
Portugal Estrela Mountains site factsheet
Portugal Gerês mountains site factsheet
Portugal Montesinho and Nogueira mountains site factsheet
Romania Allah Bair - Capidava site factsheet
Romania Almăjului Mountains - Locvei site factsheet
Romania Dobrogei gorge site factsheet
Romania Dorohoi - Şaua Bucecei site factsheet
Romania Dumbrăveni - Plopeni site factsheet
Romania Dunăre - Canarale - Hârşova site factsheet
Romania Dunărea Veche (Braţul Măcin) site factsheet
Romania Măcin - Niculiţel site factsheet
Romania Nerei gorge - Beuşniţa site factsheet
Russia (European) Buzulukski forest site factsheet
Russia (European) Flood-plain of Alatyr' river in vicinity of Ardatov site factsheet
Russia (European) Insaro-Kovylkinski site factsheet
Russia (European) Karabash-Kudashskaya forest-steppe site factsheet
Russia (European) Zhigulevsk Nature Reserve site factsheet
Slovenia Karst site factsheet

Habitats & altitude

Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Artificial/Terrestrial Plantations suitable non-breeding
Artificial/Terrestrial Plantations suitable breeding
Desert Temperate suitable breeding
Desert Temperate suitable non-breeding
Grassland Temperate suitable breeding
Grassland Temperate suitable non-breeding
Shrubland Mediterranean-type Shrubby Vegetation suitable non-breeding
Shrubland Mediterranean-type Shrubby Vegetation suitable breeding
Shrubland Temperate marginal resident
Altitude 0 - 2400 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Utilisation

Purpose Primary form used Life stage used Source Scale Level Timing
Sport 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: Emberiza hortulana. 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 Least Concern
Family Emberizidae (Buntings, American sparrows and allies)
Species name author Linnaeus, 1758
Population size mature individuals
Population trend Decreasing
Distribution size (breeding/resident) 627,000 km2
Country endemic? No
Links to further information
- Summary information on this species