LC
Balearic Warbler Curruca balearica



Taxonomy

Taxonomic note

Sylvia sarda and S. balearica (del Hoyo and Collar 2016) were previously lumped as S. sarda following Cramp et al. (1977-1994) and Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993). 
Previously placed in Sylvia but moved to current genus following Cai et al. (2019). Formerly treated as a subspecies of C. sarda, but differs in its paler throat (1); paler belly and flanks (1); smaller size (effect size for wing based on published data (Shirihai et al. 2001) –3.5, score 2); somewhat different song (to which the other species does not respond; allow 2); clearly different contact calls (at least 2); and migratory pattern (1). Monotypic.

Taxonomic source(s)
Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International. 2021. Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 6. Available at: https://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v6_Dec21.zip.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - -

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2024 Least Concern
2016 Least Concern
2012 Not Recognised
2008 Not Recognised
2004 Not Recognised
2000 Not Recognised
1994 Not Recognised
1988 Not Recognised
Species attributes

Migratory status full migrant Forest dependency does not normally occur in forest
Land-mass type Average mass -
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 13,000 km2
Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding) 210,000 km2
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size 29500-52600 mature individuals medium estimated 2018
Population trend stable - suspected -
Generation length 2.32 years - - -

Population justification: This species breeds only in Europe, where the total population size is estimated at 28,000-50,000 mature individuals, with 14,000-25,000 breeding pairs (BirdLife International 2021). The population is considered to have remained relatively stable over three generations (10 years) (BirdLife International 2021).

Trend justification:    .


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
Spain extant native yes

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
Spain Archipelago of Cabrera
Spain Cala Salada - Illa d'en Calders
Spain Cape Barbaria
Spain Cape Pinar
Spain Coastal cliffs between Cape Enderrocat and Cala Pí
Spain La Mola of Formentera
Spain Salobrar de Campos Lagoons-Sa Vall
Spain Salt-pans of Ibiza and Formentera and Freus isles
Spain Tramuntana mountains

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Forest Temperate suitable resident
Grassland Temperate suitable resident
Shrubland Mediterranean-type Shrubby Vegetation major resident
Altitude 0 - 1200 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Balearic Warbler Curruca balearica. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/balearic-warbler-curruca-balearica on 03/12/2024.
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 03/12/2024.