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). While the population trend appears to be declining, the rate of reduction 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 species is common in northwestern Morocco, in areas with thorny scrub, mixed agriculture and even in urban parks and large gardens. It is absent from arid zones, but may be found in oases such as at Laâyoune. It is scarce or rare in the forests in the Algerian Atlas (Ticehurst and Whistler 1938), but appears present more or less throughout the north of the country. Consequently the population size in these two countries is likely to be large, although it has not been estimated. In Tunisia the species is reported to now only occur in one area around Sbikha, with potentially fewer than a hundred pairs present (Nefla et al. 2021). This is a range and population contraction within the country from past records suggesting 12 isolated populations in the mid to late twentieth century (Nefla et al. 2020, 2021).
Trend justification
Evidence of range contraction in Tunisia (Nefla et al. 2021) and reported rapid declines in coastal Atlantic Saharan Morocco (Bergier et al. 2017) suggest that overall the population is declining. The majority occur in northern Morocco and Algeria, where there is no evidence of significant reductions. As such, the rate of population reduction is suspected to be slow.
The species is restricted to northwest Africa north of the Sahara, occurring in Morocco, Western Sahara, Algeria and Tunisia. In Atlantic Saharan Morocco the population is considered to have declined dramatically since the beginning of the 20th century (Bergier et al. 2017), citing references from the 1950s indicating presence at the coastal Saquiat Al Hamra, south of Laâyoune in contrast to a modern distribution with a southern limit of the Ifni mountains and the Akhsass massif. However, there continue to be records from Laâyoune and south of Guelmim, suggesting this may not be as severe or permanent a contraction as implied (eBird 2022, GBIF.org 2022). In Tunisia the breeding population is now reported to be restricted to the area around Sbikha in the Kairouan Governorate (Nefla et al. 2021).
In Tunisia it is strongly associated with relict scrub forest dominated by Sumac Searsia tripartita, in which most nests are built (Nefla et al. 2021). It appears to occupy a wider range of habitats in northern Morocco, where it may be encountered in parks and gardens. It is recorded to at least 2,500 m in the Atlas.
Clearance of natural semi-arid and arid thorny scrub forest for agriculture is the the most significant threat and may be the cause of the previous reduction in the occupied area in Tunisia.
Systematic common bird monitoring in Morocco and Algeria is needed to determine slower rates of population change.
Text account compilers
Martin, R.
Contributors
Symes, A. & Wheatley, H.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Maghreb Magpie Pica mauritanica. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/maghreb-magpie-pica-mauritanica on 22/12/2024.
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 22/12/2024.