Data Zone
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 under 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 size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (under 10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be over 10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). 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 (over 30% decline over ten years or three generations). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern. The status of this species was recently reassessed against the IUCN Red List criteria at national level for the Action Plan for Australian Birds 2020 (Garnet and Baker 2021), and not found to approach or meet the thresholds for threatened status, thereby supporting its continuing treatment as globally Least Concern.
Population justification
The species has a large global population estimated to be as large as 3,000,000 individuals (Garnett and Crowley 2000). This population is in decline owing to ongoing habitat loss and degradation (del Hoyo et al. 2007). In particular, the population density has declined along the wetter fringes of its range, particularly in eastern Australia, the Nullabor Plain, and the wheatbelt of south-west Western Australia. In Victoria, it is almost extinct, with a just few fragmented populations remaining.
Trend justification
This population is in decline owing to ongoing habitat loss and degradation (del Hoyo et al. 2007). In particular, the population density has declined along the wetter fringes of its range, particularly in eastern Australia, the Nullabor Plain, and the wheatbelt of south-west Western Australia. In Victoria, it is almost extinct, with a just few fragmented populations remaining.
This species is endemic to Australia. It is found in southern arid and semi-arid habitat from south-western Queensland, western New South Wales and north-west Victoria, through South Australia and southern Northern Territory to the west coast of Western Australia south of North-west Cape. Habitat clearance has extirpated it from the south-east fringes of its historical range.
The species is threatened through overgrazing of chenopods by livestock.
Text account compilers
Rutherford, C.A.
Contributors
Garnett, S.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Redthroat Pyrrholaemus brunneus. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/redthroat-pyrrholaemus-brunneus on 19/12/2024.
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 19/12/2024.