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

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A., Fishpool, L.D.C., Boesman, P. and Kirwan, G.M. 2016. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 2: Passerines. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
-	A2bc+3bc+4bc	A2bc+3bc+4bc; C2a(i)

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2021	Endangered	A2bc+3bc+4bc
2017	Endangered	A2c+3c+4c
2016	Vulnerable	A2c+3c; C2a(i)
2012	Vulnerable	A3c;C2a(i)
2008	Vulnerable	A3c; C2a(i)
2005	Vulnerable
2004	Critically Endangered
2000	Critically Endangered
1996	Critically Endangered
1994	Critically Endangered
1988	Threatened

Migratory status	not a migrant	Forest dependency	does not normally occur in forest
Land-mass type	continent	Average mass	-

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	60,100 km2	medium
Severely fragmented?	no	-

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	1700-3300 mature individuals	poor	estimated	1998
Population trend	decreasing	medium	inferred	2015-2024
Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	50-79%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	50-79%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	50-79%	-	-	-
Generation length	3.1 years	-	-	-
Number of subpopulations	2-10	-	-	-

Population justification: Siegfried (1992) suggested a global population of 1,500-5,000 individuals. Estimates for the proposed Grassland Biosphere Reserve suggest that 2,500 individuals is a more realistic lower limit for this species. This range is roughly equivalent to 1,700-3,300 mature individuals; however, the total may be significantly lower (D. Maphisa in litt. 2012, 2016).

Trend justification: Much of the population may be on private land and it is an elusive species, which makes it difficult to get accurate population measures (D. Maphisa in litt. 2016). Analyses of Southern African Bird Atlas Project data have shown a possible 40% decline in range (with a 14% decline in core range) (Lee et al. 2017), and Peacock (2015) estimate the decline at >50%. However, its absence has recently been noted at former strongholds, particularly at Mataliele (where it is now presumed extinct) (D. Maphisa in litt. 2007; N. Theron and R. Colyn in litt. 2016). Suspected declines in the Wakkestroom population have also been raised (N. Theron and R. Colyn in litt. 2016), with repeat surveys in 2016 of 33 transects originally covered in 2002 (Maphisa 2004) showing declines in both the number of transects (down from 9 to 5) where the species was found, and the number of individuals recorded (down from 32 to 9) (Gush 2017). The species is therefore inferred to be in severe decline, with the decline over ten years tentatively placed in the range of 50-79%.

Country/Territory	Presence	Origin	Resident	Breeding visitor	Non-breeding visitor	Passage migrant
South Africa	extant	native	yes

Country/Territory	IBA Name
South Africa	Alexpan
South Africa	Grasslands
South Africa	Matatiele Nature Reserve
South Africa	Steenkampsberg
South Africa	Sterkfontein Dam Nature Reserve

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Grassland	Subtropical/Tropical High Altitude	major	resident
Altitude	1600 - 2200 m	Occasional altitudinal limits

Threat (level 1)	Threat (level 2)	Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Agro-industry farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Agriculture & aquaculture	Livestock farming & ranching - Agro-industry grazing, ranching or farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Agriculture & aquaculture	Wood & pulp plantations - Agro-industry plantations	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Past, Unlikely to Return		Minority (<50%)		No decline		Past Impact
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Climate change & severe weather	Habitat shifting & alteration	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Future		Whole (>90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Indirect ecosystem effects, Ecosystem degradation
Energy production & mining	Mining & quarrying	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Negligible declines		Low Impact: 4
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Energy production & mining	Renewable energy	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Species disturbance, Species mortality
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases	Problematic native species/diseases	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Reduced reproductive success
Natural system modifications	Fire & fire suppression - Trend Unknown/Unrecorded	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Residential & commercial development	Housing & urban areas	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Rapid Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Rudd's Lark Heteromirafra ruddi. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/rudds-lark-heteromirafra-ruddi on 23/12/2024.
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 23/12/2024.