• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

Justification of Red List category
This species has an extremely 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 may be moderately small to large, 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 is estimated to number > c.10,000 individuals (Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001), while national population sizes have been estimated at c.10,000-100,000 breeding pairs and c.1,000-10,000 individuals on migration in China and c.10,000-100,000 breeding pairs and c.1,000-10,000 individuals on migration in Russia (Brazil 2009).

Trend justification
The population is suspected to be in decline owing to habitat destruction through drainage of wetlands and agricultural expansion (Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001). The breeding population in the Primorsky Krai region of Russia declined significantly in the second part of the 20th century, but is now gradually recovering due to an increase in the area of fallow land (Shokhrin et al. 2020). Ganesh and Prashanth (2018) recorded a decline in the total number of overwintering harriers of various species (including C. melanoleucos) at roost sites in India during 1985-2015.

Agricultural development and drainage of wetlands threatens the species (Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001, Orta et al. 2014).

Conservation actions underway
The species is listed on CITES Appendix II, CMS Appendix II and Raptors MoU Category 2. It is monitored in at least parts of its range by the International Waterbird Census (>10 records received in >50% of the years that the census has been running in the relevant region). 

Conservation actions needed
Very little is known about population size or threats for this species, therefore further research would allow a more thorough assessment of extinction risk.

Text account compilers
Haskell, L.

Contributors
Harding, M., Butchart, S., Ekstrom, J. & Ashpole, J

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Pied Harrier Circus melanoleucos. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/pied-harrier-circus-melanoleucos 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.