Data Zone
Taxonomic source(s)
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.
| Critically Endangered | Endangered | Vulnerable |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
| Year | Category | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Near Threatened | C1 |
| 2016 | Near Threatened | C1+2a(ii) |
| 2012 | Near Threatened | C1+2a(ii) |
| 2009 | Near Threatened | C1; C2aii |
| 2008 | Least Concern | |
| 2004 | Least Concern | |
| 2000 | Lower Risk/Least Concern | |
| 1994 | Lower Risk/Least Concern | |
| 1988 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
| Migratory status | full migrant | Forest dependency | low |
| Land-mass type | Average mass | 614 g |
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) | 6,670,000 km2 | medium |
| Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding) | 8,890,000 km2 | medium |
| Severely fragmented? | no | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population size | 5000-9999 mature individuals | poor | estimated | 2020 |
| Population trend | decreasing | poor | suspected | 1994-2024 |
| Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) | 10-19% | - | - | - |
| Rate of change over the future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) | 10-19% | - | - | - |
| Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) | 10-19% | - | - | - |
| Generation length | 10.1 years | - | - | - |
| Number of subpopulations | 2-100 | - | - | - |
Population justification: Recent estimates suggest that the majority of the population is found in Mexico and Texas, USA (C. Green in litt. 2016). Surveys in western Mexico identified 43 breeding sites including 20 active nesting sites in Baja California, seven in Sinaloa, five in Baja California, eight in Sonora, and three in Chiapas/Oaxaca. The largest colony in western Mexico supports 258 breeding pairs while the average colony size was 18 pairs. The population estimate for the Pacific coast of Mexico is 1,108 breeding pairs (Palacios et al. 2018). Along the Caribbean coast, Mexico holds 897 breeding pairs in the Yucatan peninsula (Palacios et al. 2018) and fewer than 200 pairs at Laguna Madre in Tamaulipas. Numbers for the USA include 950-1,050 pairs in Texas and an estimated 480 pairs in Florida (Cox et al. 2019). Further population estimates include 50 pairs at Inagua (Bahamas) and 50 pairs elsewhere in the Bahamas, and 1,000-2,500 individuals in northeastern Belize (J. Verde and L. Santoya per C. Green in litt. 2020). A recent study estimated 155 breeding pairs at 13 sites in Cuba, mostly within the Sabana-Camagüey archipelago, plus up to 544 foraging individuals (González et al. 2016). Numbers for the Dominican Republic have not been estimated, but it is considered locally common and appears to be more common today than in the 1930s (R. Rodríguez-Mojica in litt. 2008). In Puerto Rico it is very rare (A. L. Morales per A. Cox in litt. 2020). The population size in other parts of the range is unknown. The overall population is best placed in the band 5,000-9,999 mature individuals (C. Green in litt. 2020).
Trend justification: Population trends are not well understood; certainly the species seems to be increasing in parts of its range where it is well protected and has safe nesting sites, but declines are also reported throughout much of its range (Wilson et al. 2012). The species is thought to have undergone long term declines but it may be recovering throughout parts of its range in the current day, including at sites in the USA (Meehan et al. 2018). As a result, there appears to be much localised variability in ongoing population trends (Koczur et al. 2020) and hence, the overall direction of such trends throughout the species range remain inconclusive (Partners in Flight 2019; Wetlands International 2020). In view of the ongoing threats, the population is tentatively suspected to undergo a moderate decline, not exceeding 20% over three generations.
| Country/Territory | Presence | Origin | Resident | Breeding visitor | Non-breeding visitor | Passage migrant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antigua and Barbuda | possibly extinct | native | ||||
| Aruba (to Netherlands) | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Bahamas | extant | native | yes | |||
| Barbados | possibly extinct | native | ||||
| Belize | extant | native | yes | |||
| Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (to Netherlands) | possibly extinct | native | ||||
| Cayman Islands (to UK) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Colombia | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Costa Rica | extant | native | yes | |||
| Cuba | extant | native | yes | |||
| Curaçao (to Netherlands) | possibly extinct | native | ||||
| Dominica | possibly extinct | native | ||||
| Dominican Republic | extant | native | yes | |||
| El Salvador | extant | native | yes | |||
| Guatemala | extant | native | yes | |||
| Haiti | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Honduras | extant | native | yes | |||
| Jamaica | extant | native | yes | |||
| Martinique (to France) | possibly extinct | native | ||||
| Mexico | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Montserrat (to UK) | possibly extinct | native | ||||
| Nicaragua | extant | native | ||||
| Panama | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Puerto Rico (to USA) | possibly extinct | native | ||||
| St Kitts and Nevis | possibly extinct | native | ||||
| St Lucia | possibly extinct | native | ||||
| St Martin (to France) | possibly extinct | native | ||||
| St Vincent and the Grenadines | possibly extinct | native | ||||
| Trinidad and Tobago | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Turks and Caicos Islands (to UK) | extant | native | yes | |||
| USA | extant | native | yes | yes | yes | |
| Venezuela | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Virgin Islands (to UK) | possibly extinct | native | ||||
| Virgin Islands (to USA) | possibly extinct | native |
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forest | Subtropical/Tropical Mangrove Vegetation Above High Tide Level | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands | major | breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Mud Flats and Salt Flats | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Mud Flats and Salt Flats | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Rocky Shoreline | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Rocky Shoreline | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Sandy Shoreline and/or Beaches, Sand Bars, Spits, Etc | major | breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Shingle and/or Pebble Shoreline and/or Beaches | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Shingle and/or Pebble Shoreline and/or Beaches | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Tidepools | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Tidepools | suitable | breeding |
| Altitude | 0 - 50 m | Occasional altitudinal limits |
| Threat (level 1) | Threat (level 2) | Impact and Stresses | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biological resource use | Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target) | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
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| Climate change & severe weather | Habitat shifting & alteration | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Whole (>90%) | Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
|
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| Climate change & severe weather | Storms & flooding | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | 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 | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
|
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| Natural system modifications | Other ecosystem modifications | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Majority (50-90%) | Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
|
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| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Causing/Could cause fluctuations | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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| Residential & commercial development | Tourism & recreation areas | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Majority (50-90%) | Causing/Could cause fluctuations | Medium Impact: 6 | ||||||
|
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| Transportation & service corridors | Shipping lanes | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Causing/Could cause fluctuations | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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| Purpose | Scale |
|---|---|
| Handicrafts, jewellery, etc. | international |
| Pets/display animals, horticulture | international |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Reddish Egret Egretta rufescens. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/reddish-egret-egretta-rufescens 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.