Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species has a very 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 has not been quantified, 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
The global population size has not been estimated owing to recent taxonomic splits.
Trend justification
The overall population trend is decreasing, although some populations have unknown trends (Wetlands International 2006).
The species is threatened by habitat degradation and loss (Hafner and Kushlan 2002) through direct destruction, pollution (del Hoyo et al. 1992) and hydrological changes (e.g. in rivers) (Kushlan and Hancock 2005).
Text account compilers
Butchart, S., Ekstrom, J., Malpas, L., Symes, A. & Taylor, J.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Australian Little Bittern Ixobrychus dubius. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/australian-little-bittern-ixobrychus-dubius on 18/12/2024.
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 18/12/2024.