Current view: Data table and detailed info
Taxonomic note
Previously (del Hoyo and Collar 2014) listed as Francolinus gularis but moved to current genus following Kimball et al. (2021). Birds from W of range (Uttar Pradesh) described as a geographical subspecies, ridibundus, but generally considered not worthy of recognition. Monotypic.
Taxonomic source(s)
Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International. 2022. Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 7. Available at: https://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v7_Dec22.zip.
IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Red List history
| Migratory status |
not a migrant |
Forest dependency |
does not normally occur in forest |
| Land-mass type |
continent
|
Average mass |
- |
Population justification: Population size unknown but relatively common where found. Population now largely restricted to protected areas, and Rahmani (2016) reported it from 'almost all suitable grasslands in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam', which include Manas NP, Kaziranga NP, Orang NP, D'Ering Memorial WS and Dibru-Saikhowa NP (e.g. Rahmani 2016, Chakdar et al. 2019, Rahmani et al. 2022, eBird 2024). In Nepal, however, the species is virtually confined to two disjunct populations: Shuklaphanta National Park and Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve. Across the two sites, Inskipp et al. (2016) estimated a total population size of 350-500 birds, and more recent dedicated surveys affirmed this, finding only 64 pairs in Shuklaphanta and 128 pairs in Koshi Tappu (total population size: 384 mature individuals) (Poudyal et al. 2023). Based on published densities and the distribution of records, the global population is precautionarily suspected to number 7,500-20,000 mature individuals. The largest subpopulation is probably no larger than 10% of this value, although the connectivity of fragmented populations is poorly known.
Trend justification: Historically this species has declined perhaps considerably, as evidenced by the large range contraction in the south (the species is now probably extinct in Bangladesh and large parts of its range away from the Brahmaputra floodplains). However, in recent years there is no reason to suspect or infer rapid declines, in large part because of conservation action which protects large areas of suitable habitat within its range. This species is considered sensitive to disturbance and habitat encroachment/degradation (see, e.g., Dahal et al. 2009) and locally there is some evidence of this continuing; for example, Rahmani (2016) reported evidence of ongoing encroachment and grazing pressure at some non-protected grasslands known to host this species, including Deobali Jalah. Moreover, much of the protected area network that benefits this species is managed for large vertebrates (e.g. Greater One-horned Rhino Rhinoceros unicornis) and practices may not in all circumstances benefit this species (there is also evidence of encroachment by non-native plants in some national parks: Rahmani 2016). However, overall this species is now 'doing very well in many protected areas with no apparent population decline' (Rahmani 2016) and it seems highly unlikely that the species is declining rapidly globally. While Rahmani (2016) reiterated that this situation could change in response to changes in river flow induced by climate change and damming practises in Arunachal Pradesh, these threats for now remain hypothetical (although require close monitoring). Accordingly, slow global declines (set in the band 0-15% over three generations [11 years]) are precautionarily suspected, with acknowledgement that most of these losses are in unprotected areas, which as time goes on will represent a diminishing percentage of this species' range and population size.
Country/territory distribution
Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Swamp Francolin Ortygornis gularis. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/swamp-francolin-ortygornis-gularis 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.
