Current view: Data table and detailed info
Taxonomic note
Previously placed in Sylvia (del Hoyo and Collar 2016) but moved to current genus following Cai et al. (2019). Geographical variation rather limited and partially clinal; nominate subspecies intergrades widely with dartfordiensis in SW France and NW Iberia and with toni in S Iberia. Proposed subspecies corsa (from Corsica) and naevalbens (from SE Italy) fall within range of variation of nominate and thus are synonymized with it; similarly, aremorica (from NW France) is synonymized with dartfordiensis, and tingitana (from Morocco) with toni. Three subspecies recognized.
Taxonomic source(s)
Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International. 2021. Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 6. Available at: http://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v6_Dec21.zip.
IUCN Red list criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Red List history
| Migratory status |
not a migrant |
Forest dependency |
Does not normally occur in forest |
| Land mass type |
|
Average mass |
- |
Population justification: In Europe, the breeding population is estimated to number 597,000-1,430,000 pairs, which equates to approximately 1,200,000-2,900,000 mature individuals and 1,800,000-4,300,000 individuals (BirdLife International 2021). Europe forms c.85% of the global range, so a very preliminary estimate of the global population size is 1,400,000-3,400,000 mature individuals and 2,100,000-5,100,000 individuals although further validation of this estimate is needed.
Trend justification: Trend data is provided from the European range. As Europe holds c. 85% of the global population, these trends are held to reflect the global population. The European population underwent a large decline during 1970-1990 (Tucker and Heath 1994), and has continued to decline. BirdLife International (2021) estimate a 7.9% decrease between 2007-2018, or 10 years; however, considering trends calculated by the Spanish Common Bird Monitoring Scheme (SACRE) and the Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme (PECBMS; EBCC 2018), it's likely that the 10 year decline falls between 20-30%. PECBMS estimates a 15% decline between 2007-2016 (10 years). Between 1980-2018, BirdLife International (2021) estimates a 38% decline in Europe, and PECBMS a 37% decline between 1996-2016. Whilst populations in Portugal and the United Kingdom are increasing, declines have been reported for both France and Italy. The population has undergone a strong increase in Portugal (A. Meirinho in litt. 2016, Regos et al. 2016) possibly owing to the availability of burnt areas (S. Herrando in litt. 2016). In the U.K. it has recently increased rapidly and extended its range northwards, reaching a total of 3,214 territories in 2006 (Wotton et al. 2009), and 1,677 territories in 2015. The last full survey, in 2006, coming after a long run of mild winters, may have recorded the population at or close to its peak (Holling et al. 2017). Keller et al. (2020) also shows an increase in breeding range across the U.K. between EBBA1 and EBBA2 (European Breeding Bird Atlas), in line with climate predicitions (Huntley et al. 2008). The population in France declined by at least 50% between 2001 and 2014 (E. Green in litt. 2016). In Italy, the population is declining although it is unclear to what extent (Monitoraggio Italiano Ornitologico and Lega Italiana Protezione Uccelli in litt. 2016). The species has abandoned previously occupied areas in Northern France, Southern Italy and Sicily (Keller et al. 2020).The population trend is unknown in Andorra (20-30 pairs). The overall population trend is therefore estimated to be decreasing at a rate of 20-29% over three generations, and is suspected to continue at the same rate between over the next ten years.
Country/territory distribution
Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Species factsheet: Curruca undata. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 20/03/2023.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2023) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 20/03/2023.
