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 is very large, and hence does not 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 total population size has not been quantified but is tentatively placed in the band of 100,000 - 500,000 individuals.
Trend justification
The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction and unsustainable levels of hunting. This species is highly forest dependent and is suspected to be declining at roughly the same rate as forest loss; rates of forest cover loss have averaged c.5% over the last three generations [16.56 years; Bird et al. 2020] (Global Forest Watch 2022, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein) and this rate is suspected to continue into the future.
The species is suspected to be declining due to habitat degradation and hunting pressure.
Text account compilers
Rotton, H.
Contributors
Butchart, S. & Ekstrom, J.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Black Guineafowl Agelastes niger. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/black-guineafowl-agelastes-niger on 23/12/2024.
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 23/12/2024.