Data Zone
Taxonomic source(s)
AERC TAC. 2003. AERC TAC Checklist of bird taxa occurring in Western Palearctic region, 15th Draft. Available at: #http://www.aerc.eu/DOCS/Bird_taxa_of _the_WP15.xls#.
Cramp, S. and Simmons, K.E.L. (eds). 1977-1994. Handbook of the birds of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The birds of the western Palearctic. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
| Critically Endangered | Endangered | Vulnerable |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
| Year | Category | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Least Concern | |
| 2016 | Least Concern | |
| 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 |
| Migratory status | full migrant | Forest dependency | Does not normally occur in forest |
| Land mass type | Average mass | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence breeding/resident (km2) | 22,100,000 | medium |
| Extent of Occurrence non-breeding (km2) | 71,600,000 | medium |
| Number of locations | - | |
| Severely Fragmented | - |
| Value | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of mature individuals | 490000 | poor | inferred | 2020 |
| Population trend | Unknown | not applicable | - | |
| Decline (3 years/1 generation past) | - | - | - | |
| Decline (5 years/1 generation past) | - | - | - | |
| Decline (10 years/1 generation past) | - | - | - | |
| Decline (10 years/3 generation future) | - | - | - | |
| Decline (10 years/3 generation past and future) | - | - | - | |
| Number of subpopulations | - | - | - | |
| Percentage in largest subpopulation | - | - | - | |
| Generation length (yrs) | 10.4 | - | - | - |
Population justification: The global population is inferred to number 490,000 mature individuals (Partners in Flight 2020). The European population is estimated at 1,500-1,800 pairs, which equates to 3,000-3,600 mature individuals (BirdLife International 2015).
Trend justification: The overall population trend is uncertain, as some populations are decreasing, while others are stable, have unknown trends or are increasing (Wetlands International 2020). The population in North America is increasing (Meehan et al. 2018; Partners in Flight 2020). The European population trend is unknown (BirdLife International 2015).
| Country/Territory | Occurrence status | Presence | Resident | Breeding | Non-breeding | Passage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algeria | V | Extant | ||||
| Austria | V | Extant | ||||
| Barbados | V | Extant | ||||
| Belarus | V | Extant | ||||
| Belgium | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Bermuda (to UK) | N | Extant | ||||
| Bulgaria | V | Extant | ||||
| Canada | N | Extant | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| China (mainland) | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Croatia | V | Extant | ||||
| Czechia | V | Extant | ||||
| Denmark | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Egypt | V | Extant | ||||
| Faroe Islands (to Denmark) | V | Extant | ||||
| Finland | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| France | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Germany | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Greece | V | Extant | ||||
| Greenland (to Denmark) | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Hungary | V | Extant | ||||
| Iceland | V | Extant | ||||
| Ireland | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Italy | V | Extant | ||||
| Japan | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Kazakhstan | V | Extant | ||||
| Latvia | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Luxembourg | V | Extant | ||||
| Mexico | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Morocco | V | Extant | ||||
| Netherlands | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| North Korea | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Norway | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Poland | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Portugal | V | Extant | ||||
| Puerto Rico (to USA) | V | Extant | ||||
| Romania | V | Extant | ||||
| Russia | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Russia (Asian) | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Russia (Central Asian) | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Russia (European) | N | Extant | Yes | Yes | ||
| Senegal | V | Extant | ||||
| Slovakia | V | Extant | ||||
| South Korea | V | Extant | ||||
| Spain | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| St Pierre and Miquelon (to France) | V | Extant | ||||
| Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway) | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Switzerland | V | Extant | ||||
| Taiwan, China | V | Extant | ||||
| Tunisia | V | Extant | ||||
| Turkey | V | Extant | ||||
| United Kingdom | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| USA | N | Extant | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artificial/Terrestrial | Pastureland | suitable | non-breeding |
| Grassland | Tundra | major | breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Mud Flats and Salt Flats | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Salt Marshes (Emergent Grasses) | suitable | non-breeding |
| Altitude | Occasional altitudinal limits |
| Threat (level 1) | Threat (level 2) | Impact and Stresses | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biological resource use | Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target) | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Negligible declines | Low Impact: 4 | ||||||
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| Climate change & severe weather | Temperature extremes | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Whole (>90%) | Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
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| Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases | Problematic native species/diseases - Vulpes lagopus | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | No decline | Low Impact: 4 | ||||||
|
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| Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases | Viral/prion-induced diseases - Avian Influenza Virus (H5N1 subtype) | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Future | Minority (<50%) | Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
|
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| Residential & commercial development | Commercial & industrial areas | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | No decline | Low Impact: 4 | ||||||
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| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Negligible declines | Low Impact: 4 | ||||||
|
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| Purpose | Primary form used | Life stage used | Source | Scale | Level | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food - human | - | - | Non-trivial | Recent | ||
| Pets/display animals, horticulture | - | - | International | Non-trivial | Recent | |
| Sport hunting/specimen collecting | - | - | Non-trivial | Recent |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Species factsheet: Branta bernicla. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 28/03/2023.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2023) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 28/03/2023.
