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 | nomadic | Forest dependency | Medium |
| Land mass type | Average mass | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence breeding/resident (km2) | 49,700,000 | medium |
| Extent of Occurrence non-breeding (km2) | 21,300,000 | medium |
| Number of locations | - | |
| Severely Fragmented | - |
| Value | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of mature individuals | 100000-499999 | poor | suspected | 2020 |
| Population trend | Stable | suspected | - | |
| 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) | 3.9 | - | - | - |
Population justification: Partners in Flight Science Committee (2020) estimate the North American population to number c.130,000 individuals (c.87,000 mature individuals) and the global population to number c.250,000 individuals (c.167,000 mature individuals). The European population is estimated at 10,400-46,200 pairs, which equates to 20,800-92,400 mature individuals (BirdLife International in prep.). Europe forms approximately 13% of the global range, so a very preliminary estimate of the global population size is 160,000-711,000 mature individuals, although further validation of this estimate is needed. The population is precautionarily placed in the band 100,000-499,999 mature individuals however the actual population could be larger.
Trend justification: The overall trend is likely to be fluctuating according to small-mammal prey availability. The population trend in North America is unclear, with Christmas Bird Count data showing a variable trend with irruptive years (Partners in Flight 2021). Note that these surveys cover less than 50% of the species's range in North America. In Europe the population in stable (BirdLife International in prep.).
| Country/Territory | Occurrence status | Presence | Resident | Breeding | Non-breeding | Passage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | V | Extant | ||||
| Belarus | V | Extant | ||||
| Belgium | V | Extant | ||||
| Bermuda (to UK) | V | Extant | ||||
| Canada | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| China (mainland) | N | Extant | ||||
| Czechia | V | Extant | ||||
| Denmark | V | Extant | Yes | |||
| Estonia | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Faroe Islands (to Denmark) | V | Extant | ||||
| Finland | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| France | V | Extant | ||||
| Germany | V | Extant | ||||
| Hungary | V | Extant | ||||
| Japan | V | Extant | ||||
| Kazakhstan | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Kyrgyzstan | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Latvia | N | Extinct | Yes | |||
| Luxembourg | V | Extant | ||||
| Mongolia | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Montenegro | V | Extant | ||||
| Netherlands | V | Extant | ||||
| North Korea | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Norway | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Poland | V | Extant | ||||
| Romania | V | Extant | ||||
| Russia | N | Extant | Yes | Yes | ||
| Russia (Asian) | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Russia (Central Asian) | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Russia (European) | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Serbia | V | Extant | ||||
| Slovakia | V | Extant | Yes | |||
| Spain | V | Extant | ||||
| Sweden | N | Extant | Yes | |||
| Switzerland | V | Extant | ||||
| Ukraine | V | Extant | Yes | |||
| United Kingdom | V | Extant | ||||
| USA | N | Extant | Yes |
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artificial/Terrestrial | Arable Land | marginal | resident |
| Forest | Boreal | suitable | resident |
| Grassland | Temperate | suitable | non-breeding |
| Grassland | Tundra | suitable | resident |
| Shrubland | Boreal | suitable | resident |
| Wetlands (inland) | Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands | suitable | resident |
| Altitude | 0 - 2650 m | Occasional altitudinal limits |
| Threat (level 1) | Threat (level 2) | Impact and Stresses | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Wood & pulp plantations - Agro-industry plantations | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Majority (50-90%) | Negligible declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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| 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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| Biological resource use | Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Persecution/control | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Negligible declines | Low Impact: 4 | ||||||
|
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| Climate change & severe weather | Habitat shifting & alteration | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Future | Whole (>90%) | Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
|
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| Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases | Viral/prion-induced diseases - West Nile Virus (WNV) | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Negligible declines | Low Impact: 4 | ||||||
|
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| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression - Supression in fire frequency/intensity | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents - Herbicides and pesticides | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
|
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pets/display animals, horticulture | - | - | International | Non-trivial | Recent |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2022) Species factsheet: Surnia ulula. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 03/07/2022.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2022) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 03/07/2022.
