• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Climate Change maps
• Reference and further resources

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A., Fishpool, L.D.C., Boesman, P. and Kirwan, G.M. 2016. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 2: Passerines. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

Population justification: The global population has been estimated at 100,000-500,000 individuals (del Hoyo et al. 2007), with 10,000-100,000 individuals estimated to be in Lesotho (per Hockey et al. 2005). The Lesotho highlands are a stronghold for this species. In the Sehlabethebe National Park, 11 breeding pairs per 32 km transect were found in the afro-montane grassland (Kopij 2002). In the highlands above 2,200 m, 14 pairs per 54 km transect were found (Kopij 2015a). 10 pairs per 120 km transect were found in the foothills, but this species was not recorded at all in the lowlands (Kopij 2015a). In Afro-montane Themeda-Festuca grassland, 29 pairs were found per 61.2 km transect, while 32 breeding pairs were found per 44.7 km transect in the Afro-alpine grasslands 2,500 - 3,000 m above sea level (Kopij 2015b). 8 pairs per 104 km transect, and 1 pair per 110 km transect were found in the upper Senque and lower Senque river drainages respectively (Kopij 2013).  

Trend justification: Lee et al. (2017) analysed Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP) data (SABAP1 1987-1992; SABAP2 2007-2014. Note SABAP2 is ongoing but data taken from 2014) and suggested that this species is experiencing a decline in South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Lee et al. (2017) suggest that the reporting rate has declined 28.5%, the range has declined 42.0% and the core range has declined 35.5% between SABAPs (although the corrected population change metric suggests population declines may be lower than this). Declines may in part be due to incomplete sampling during SABAP2 and the time period for these declines is greater than three generations (c.11 years), but it is precautionarily assessed that the species may be at least declining moderately rapidly over three generations.

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Species factsheet: Chaetops aurantius. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/drakensberg-rockjumper-chaetops-aurantius on 07/06/2023. Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2023) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org on 07/06/2023.