Data Zone
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 under 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 size may be moderately small to large, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (under 10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be over 10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). The population trend is not known, but the population is not believed to be decreasing sufficiently rapidly to approach the thresholds under the population trend criterion (over 30% decline over ten years or three generations). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Population justification
The global population size is estimated at 45,002-1,235,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2023), which equates to 30,000-823,000 mature individuals. The overall population trend is unknown (Wetlands International 2023).
Trend justification
.
Behaviour This species is largely sedentary (Urban et al. 1986, del Hoyo et al. 1996). It nests in solitary territorial pairs (Urban et al. 1986, del Hoyo et al. 1996), the timing of breeding corresponding to peaks in water-level (del Hoyo et al. 1996). Habitat The species occurs in forest and wooded savanna along permanent streams (del Hoyo et al. 1996) with thick growths of Syzygium guineese, along secluded reaches of thickly wooded rivers (Urban et al. 1986), on the edges of pools, lakes and dams with well-vegetated banks (particularly with reeds and overhanging branches) (Urban et al. 1986, del Hoyo et al. 1996), on the edges of dense papyrus beds far from the shore (Urban et al. 1986), in mangrove swamps (Urban et al. 1986, del Hoyo et al. 1996), creeks (Urban et al. 1986) and in flooded forest (del Hoyo et al. 1996). It is rarely found away from shoreline vegetation and generally avoids stagnant or fast-flowing water (Urban et al. 1986). Diet Its diet consists predominantly of invertebrates such as adult and larval insects (e.g. Ephemeropta, Odonata, Coleoptera and Orthoptera), spiders, millipedes, crustaceans (del Hoyo et al. 1996) (e.g. crabs, shrimps and prawns) (Urban et al. 1986), small snails, frogs, small fish (del Hoyo et al. 1996), snakes (Hockey et al. 2005) and occasionally vegetation (del Hoyo et al. 1996). Breeding site The nest is a flat, loose structure of reeds and twigs (Urban et al. 1986, del Hoyo et al. 1996) placed 1-4 m high over water either on a mass of flood debris or fallen branches (del Hoyo et al. 1996), on an overhanging tree limb or on a horizontal branch (Urban et al. 1986).
The species is threatened by habitat degradation from increased river siltation, reduced river flow (due to commercial afforestation) (Hockey et al. 2005) and pesticide contamination (which leads to reductions in prey availability) (Brooks and Gardner 1980). Utilisation The species is hunted and traded at traditional medicine markets in Nigeria (Nikolaus 2001).
Text account compilers
Rutherford, C.A.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: African Finfoot Podica senegalensis. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/african-finfoot-podica-senegalensis on 27/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 27/12/2024.