Data Zone
Taxonomic source(s)
AERC TAC. 2003. AERC TAC Checklist of bird taxa occurring in Western Palearctic region, 15th Draft. Available at: http://www.aerc.eu/DOCS/Bird_taxa_of_the_WP15.xls.
Christidis, L. and Boles, W.E. 2008. Systematics and Taxonomy of Australian Birds. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Australia.
Cramp, S. and Simmons, K.E.L. (eds). 1977-1994. Handbook of the birds of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The birds of the western Palearctic. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
SACC. 2005 and updates. A classification of the bird species of South America. Available at: https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm.
Turbott, E.G. 1990. Checklist of the Birds of New Zealand. Ornithological Society of New Zealand, Wellington.
| Critically Endangered | Endangered | Vulnerable |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
| Year | Category | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Near Threatened | A2bcde+3bcde+4bcde |
| 2012 | Near Threatened | A2bcde+3bcde+4bcde |
| 2008 | Near Threatened | A2b,c; A3b,c; A4b,c |
| 2006 | Near Threatened | |
| 2004 | Least Concern | |
| 2000 | Lower Risk/Least Concern | |
| 1994 | Lower Risk/Least Concern | |
| 1988 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
| Migratory status | full migrant | Forest dependency | does not normally occur in forest |
| Land-mass type | Average mass | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) | 30,300,000 km2 | medium |
| Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding) | 118,000,000 km2 | medium |
| Number of locations | 11-100 | - |
| Severely fragmented? | no | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population size | unknown | good | estimated | 2016 |
| Population trend | decreasing | medium | estimated | 1993-2008 |
| Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) | 20-29% | - | - | - |
| Rate of change over the future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) | 20-29% | - | - | - |
| Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) | 20-29% | - | - | - |
| Generation length | 8.6 years | - | - | - |
| Number of subpopulations | 2-100 | - | - | - |
Population justification: The global population is estimated at 614,000-809,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2016). The population is estimated to number 102,000-149,000 pairs in Europe (including 25,000 pairs in Iceland) (BirdLife International 2015); 25,000-100,000 in west-central Asia; 150,000 in central Asia and Siberia (Asian Waterbird Census unpublished data); 160,000 in the rest of Asia and Australia.
Trend justification: There is still some degree of uncertainty about the size and trend of some of the sub-populations. Nevertheless, the available information suggests that the global population has probably declined by between 14% and 33% at a mean rate of approximately 23% over the 25 years leading up to 2015. This estimate is derived from a series of calculations based on best-worse case scenarios using population estimates from Wetlands International (2017), and trend data from the African-Eurasian Waterbird Census, Asian Waterbird Census, Wetlands International, Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme and forum contributors. Thus the species's trend is currently best placed in the 20-29% band. In Europe, the population size is estimated to be decreasing by 30-49% in 25.8 years (three generations) (BirdLife International 2015).
| Country/Territory | Presence | Origin | Resident | Breeding visitor | Non-breeding visitor | Passage migrant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | extant | native | yes | |||
| Albania | extant | native | yes | |||
| Algeria | extant | native | ||||
| Andorra | extant | uncertain | yes | |||
| Armenia | extant | native | ||||
| Australia | extant | native | ||||
| Austria | extant | native | yes | |||
| Azerbaijan | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Bahrain | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Bangladesh | extant | native | ||||
| Belarus | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Belgium | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Benin | extant | native | yes | |||
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | extant | native | ||||
| Botswana | extant | native | ||||
| Brunei | extant | native | ||||
| Bulgaria | extant | native | yes | |||
| Burkina Faso | extant | native | ||||
| Burundi | extant | native | ||||
| Cambodia | extant | native | ||||
| Cameroon | extant | native | ||||
| Canada | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Cape Verde | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Central African Republic | extant | native | ||||
| Chad | extant | native | ||||
| China (mainland) | extant | native | ||||
| Comoros | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Congo, The Democratic Republic of the | extant | native | ||||
| Côte d'Ivoire | extant | native | ||||
| Croatia | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Cyprus | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Czechia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Denmark | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Djibouti | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Egypt | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Eritrea | extant | native | ||||
| Estonia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Ethiopia | extant | native | ||||
| Faroe Islands (to Denmark) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Finland | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| France | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Gabon | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Gambia | extant | native | ||||
| Georgia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Germany | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Ghana | extant | native | ||||
| Gibraltar (to UK) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Greece | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Greenland (to Denmark) | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Guam (to USA) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Guinea | extant | native | ||||
| Guinea-Bissau | extant | native | ||||
| Hong Kong (China) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Hungary | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Iceland | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| India | extant | native | ||||
| Indonesia | extant | native | ||||
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Iraq | extant | native | yes | |||
| Ireland | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Israel | extant | native | yes | |||
| Italy | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Japan | extant | native | ||||
| Jordan | extant | native | yes | |||
| Kazakhstan | extant | native | yes | |||
| Kenya | extant | native | ||||
| Kiribati | extant | native | yes | |||
| Kuwait | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Kyrgyzstan | extant | native | yes | |||
| Laos | extant | uncertain | yes | |||
| Latvia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Lebanon | extant | native | yes | |||
| Liberia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Libya | extant | native | ||||
| Liechtenstein | extant | native | ||||
| Lithuania | extant | native | yes | |||
| Luxembourg | extant | native | yes | |||
| Madagascar | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Malawi | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Malaysia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Maldives | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Mali | extant | native | ||||
| Malta | extant | native | ||||
| Marshall Islands | extant | native | yes | |||
| Mauritania | extant | native | ||||
| Micronesia, Federated States of | extant | native | yes | |||
| Moldova | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Mongolia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Montenegro | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Morocco | extant | native | ||||
| Mozambique | extant | native | ||||
| Myanmar | extant | native | ||||
| Namibia | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Nepal | extant | native | ||||
| Netherlands | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| New Caledonia (to France) | extant | native | ||||
| New Zealand | extant | vagrant | yes | |||
| Niger | extant | native | ||||
| Nigeria | extant | native | ||||
| North Korea | extant | native | ||||
| North Macedonia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Northern Mariana Islands (to USA) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Norway | extant | native | yes | |||
| Oman | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Pakistan | extant | native | ||||
| Palau | extant | native | yes | |||
| Palestine | extant | native | yes | |||
| Papua New Guinea | extant | native | ||||
| Philippines | extant | native | ||||
| Poland | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Portugal | extant | native | yes | |||
| Puerto Rico (to USA) | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Qatar | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Romania | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Russia | extant | native | yes | yes | yes | |
| Russia (Asian) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Russia (Central Asian) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Russia (European) | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Rwanda | extant | native | yes | |||
| Saudi Arabia | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Senegal | extant | native | ||||
| Serbia | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Seychelles | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Sierra Leone | extant | native | ||||
| Singapore | extant | native | ||||
| Slovakia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Slovenia | extant | native | ||||
| Solomon Islands | extant | native | ||||
| Somalia | extant | native | ||||
| South Africa | extant | vagrant | yes | |||
| South Korea | extant | native | ||||
| South Sudan | extant | native | yes | |||
| Spain | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Sri Lanka | extant | native | ||||
| St Kitts and Nevis | extant | vagrant | ||||
| St Pierre and Miquelon (to France) | extant | vagrant | yes | |||
| Sudan | extant | native | ||||
| Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway) | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Sweden | extant | native | yes | |||
| Switzerland | extant | native | ||||
| Syria | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Taiwan, China | extant | native | ||||
| Tajikistan | extant | native | yes | |||
| Tanzania | extant | native | ||||
| Thailand | extant | native | yes | |||
| Timor-Leste | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Togo | extant | native | yes | |||
| Trinidad and Tobago | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Tunisia | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Türkiye | extant | native | yes | |||
| Turkmenistan | extant | native | ||||
| Uganda | extant | native | ||||
| Ukraine | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| United Arab Emirates | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| United Kingdom | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| USA | extant | vagrant | yes | |||
| Uzbekistan | extant | native | ||||
| Vanuatu | extant | native | yes | |||
| Vietnam | extant | native | yes | |||
| Virgin Islands (to USA) | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Western Sahara | extant | native | ||||
| Yemen | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Zambia | extant | native | ||||
| Zimbabwe | extant | vagrant |
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artificial/Terrestrial | Arable Land | suitable | non-breeding |
| Artificial/Terrestrial | Pastureland | suitable | breeding |
| Artificial/Terrestrial | Urban Areas | unset | breeding |
| Grassland | Temperate | major | breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Mud Flats and Salt Flats | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Salt Marshes (Emergent Grasses) | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Estuaries | major | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands | major | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands | suitable | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) | suitable | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under 8ha) | unset | non-breeding |
| Altitude | Occasional altitudinal limits |
| Threat (level 1) | Threat (level 2) | Impact and Stresses | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Agro-industry farming | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Majority (50-90%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Medium Impact: 6 | ||||||
|
|||||||||
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching - Agro-industry grazing, ranching or farming | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Majority (50-90%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Medium Impact: 6 | ||||||
|
|||||||||
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching - Scale Unknown/Unrecorded | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
|||||||||
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Marine & freshwater aquaculture - Industrial aquaculture | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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| Biological resource use | Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target) | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Rapid Declines | Medium Impact: 6 | ||||||
|
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| Climate change & severe weather | Habitat shifting & alteration | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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| Energy production & mining | Renewable energy | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Causing/Could cause fluctuations | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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| Human intrusions & disturbance | Work & other activities | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Unknown | Causing/Could cause fluctuations | Unknown | ||||||
|
|||||||||
| Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Unspecified species | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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| Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases | Problematic native species/diseases - Mustela erminea | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Causing/Could cause fluctuations | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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| Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases | Problematic native species/diseases - Mustela nivalis_old | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Causing/Could cause fluctuations | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use - Abstraction of ground water (unknown use) | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use - Abstraction of surface water (unknown use) | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression - Increase in fire frequency/intensity | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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| Pollution | Industrial & military effluents - Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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| Residential & commercial development | Commercial & industrial areas | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Causing/Could cause fluctuations | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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| Residential & commercial development | Tourism & recreation areas | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Causing/Could cause fluctuations | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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| Transportation & service corridors | Flight paths | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Future | Minority (<50%) | Rapid Declines | Low Impact: 4 | ||||||
|
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| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Causing/Could cause fluctuations | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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| Purpose | Scale |
|---|---|
| Food - human | subsistence, national |
| Pets/display animals, horticulture | international |
| Sport hunting/specimen collecting | subsistence, national |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Species factsheet: Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/black-tailed-godwit-limosa-limosa on 07/01/2025.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2025) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 07/01/2025.