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 <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). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). 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 (<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
Ferguson-Lees and Christie (2001) suggested that the population was larger than 10,000 individuals.
Trend justification
The population is suspected to be declining locally owing to deforestation. During 2000-2020, c.8% of forest cover was lost within the species's range (Global Forest Watch 2021), equating to a decline of c.5% over three generations (12.99 years [Bird et al. 2020]). During 2016-2020, c. 4% of forest cover was lost within the species's range (Global Forest Watch 2021), equating to a decline of c. 12% when projected forward over three generations. However the species has adapted well to cultivated and suburban habitats (Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001), therefore the rate of decline caused by forest loss is likely to be lower than this. In Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, the number of birds decreased within and outside protected areas between 1969-1973 and 2003-2004 from 1.1 to 0.6 individuals per 100km and from 0.6 to 0 individuals per 100km respectively (Thiollay 2006).
Deforestation is likely to be a threat to the species in West Africa, however it has adapted to use cultivated and suburban habitats (Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001). Overgrazing and exposure to pesticides also represent potential threat in its West African range (Thiollay 2007). Taking of young birds is a potential threat, an incident of this has been reported from Gambia (Barnett and Emms 2001). The species is reported to be traded for traditional medicine and bushmeat in Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger (Williams et al. 2013; Petrozzi 2018), although only in relatively small numbers (Buij et al. 2016) .
Conservation actions underway
CITES Appendix II, CMS Appendix II, Raptors MOU Category 3.
Conservation actions needed
Further surveys are needed to more accurately estimate the population size and trends of this species.
Text account compilers
Haskell, L.
Contributors
Harding, M., Butchart, S., Ekstrom, J. & Ashpole, J
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: African Hobby Falco cuvierii. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/african-hobby-falco-cuvierii on 22/11/2024.
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 22/11/2024.