Family: Rallidae (Rails, Gallinules, Coots)

Authority: (Linnaeus, 1758)

Red List Category

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Justification of Red List category
Data from ongoing (albeit modest) monitoring in Russia (which holds the vast majority of the global population) indicate that the predicted declines have not taken place and that numbers have remained stable since 2002 or are even increasing. Whilst it is difficult to accurately predict future trends owing to the species's extensive range and differing climatic and agricultural conditions in different regions, it is thought that populations in key parts of the range in Russia and Kazakhstan are unlikely to change dramatically in the near future. The species is therefore classified as Least Concern because global population declines approaching 30% (predicted in 2004) have not taken place, and there is little evidence to suggest that they will do so in the next 11 years (three generations). This classification has taken place on the basis of improved knowledge of the species's global extinction risk, as opposed to a genuine recovery to favourable conservation status across its range. The species remains a high conservation priority in significant parts of its range (at both national and regional levels), and continued conservation interventions, research and monitoring are essential. Evidence of a downturn in its fortunes or adequately documented projections of imminent rapid declines would warrant a further review of its status.

Population size: 3000000-7000000 mature individuals

Population trend: stable

Extent of occurrence (breeding/resident): 20,600,000 km²

Country endemic: no

Attributes
Land-mass type - continent
Realm - Afrotropical
Realm - Palearctic
IUCN System - Freshwater
IUCN System - Terrestrial