LC
Black-headed Canary Serinus alario



Taxonomy

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A., Fishpool, L.D.C., Boesman, P. and Kirwan, G.M. 2016. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 2: Passerines. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

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 Least Concern
2009 Least Concern
2008 Least Concern
2004 Least Concern
2000 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1994 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1988 Not Recognised
Species attributes

Migratory status not a migrant Forest dependency does not normally occur in forest
Land-mass type Average mass 12 g
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 1,460,000 km2 medium
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size unknown - - -
Population trend stable - suspected -
Generation length 2.48 years - - -

Population justification: The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is described as locally common (Clement 1999). The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Trend justification: The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
Botswana extant vagrant
Lesotho extant native yes
Namibia extant native yes
South Africa extant native yes

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
Namibia Namib-Naukluft Park
Namibia Sperrgebiet
South Africa Augrabies Falls National Park
South Africa Bitterputs Conservation Area
South Africa Camdeboo National Park
South Africa Haramoep and Black Mountain Mine
South Africa Karoo National Park
South Africa Mattheus-Gat Conservation Area
South Africa Olifants river estuary
South Africa Platberg-Karoo Conservancy
South Africa Upper Orange River

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Grassland Subtropical/Tropical Dry major resident
Shrubland Subtropical/Tropical Dry major resident
Altitude 0 - 1840 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Threats & impact
Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses
Climate change & severe weather Habitat shifting & alteration Timing Scope Severity Impact
Future Whole (>90%) Unknown Unknown
Stresses
Indirect ecosystem effects, Ecosystem degradation

Utilisation
Purpose Scale
Pets/display animals, horticulture international

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Black-headed Canary Serinus alario. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/black-headed-canary-serinus-alario 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.