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). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not 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 quantified, but the species is described as generally uncommon or locally common (Clement 1999).
Trend justification
The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.
This species occurs southwards from south-east Cameroon (F. Dowsett-Lemaire and R. Dowsett in litt. 2005), Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo (P. Hall in litt. 2003), through Zambia (where widespread (F. Dowsett-Lemaire and R. Dowsett in litt. 2005, P. Leonard in litt. 2005)), Angola, Tanzania, Malawi (where widespread and locally common in the Central Region (F. Dowsett-Lemaire and R. Dowsett in litt. 2005)) and Mozambique, to Zimbabwe (where it is uncommon, but may be overlooked) and Botswana (V. Parker in litt. 2003). Recent observations, in need of confirmation, have located at least two pairs breeding on the Jos Plateau in northern Nigeria, representing a very significant range extension (P. Hall in litt. 2003). In Zimbabwe, the moist habitats that it requires still remain, but may be insufficient to sustain a viable population (V. Parker in litt. 2003). In Mozambique and Zimbabwe it occurs only at a handful of localities within its supposed range (V. Parker in litt. 2003). The range may have contracted as a result of droughts in the 1980s, and populations may fluctuate in response to rainfall (Harrison et al. 1997).
This species may be outcompeted by the Quail Finch O. atricollis in some suitable habitat in Mozambique and Zimbabwe (V. Parker in litt. 2003).
This species may be threatened by the cagebird trade and by loss of marshland habitat (V. Parker in litt. 2003), partly due to fire in dry periods (P. Leonard in litt. 2005).
Text account compilers
Ekstrom, J., Pilgrim, J.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Locust Finch Paludipasser locustella. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/locust-finch-paludipasser-locustella on 22/11/2024.
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 22/11/2024.