Justification of Red List Category
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size has not been quantified but must be extremely large, and it therefore does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Population justification
In Europe, the breeding population is estimated to number 7,500,000-19,000,000 breeding pairs, equating to 22,500,000-57,000,000 individuals (BirdLife International 2004). National population estimates include: c.10,000-100,000 breeding pairs in China; c.100-100,000 introduced breeding pairs in Taiwan; c.10,000-100,000 breeding pairs in Korea; c.100-10,000 breeding pairs (possibly introduced) in Japan and c.10,000-100,000 breeding pairs in Russia (Brazil 2009).
Trend justification
In Europe, trends since 1980 have been stable, based on provisional data for 21 countries from the Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme (EBCC/RSPB/BirdLife/Statistics Netherlands; P. Vorisek in litt. 2008).
Text account compilers
Butchart, S., Ekstrom, J., Symes, A. & Wheatley, H.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2022) Species factsheet: Pica pica. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 19/05/2022.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2022) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 19/05/2022.