Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species has an extremely large range and the population size is extremely large, hence does not approach threatened thresholds for the range or population size criteria. 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. For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Population justification
In Europe, the total population size is estimated at 15,400,000-21,100,000 mature individuals, with 7,730,000-10,600,000 breeding pairs (BirdLife International 2021), and comprises approximately 75% of the species' global range, so a very preliminary estimate of the global population size is between 20,500,000-28,100,000 mature individuals, although further validation of this estimate is desirable. The species' population in Europe is considered to have undergone a small decline over three generations (10 years), especially in western and central Europe (BirdLife International 2021). As this region holds the vast majority of the species' global range, the global population size is considered to be decreasing slowly over three generations
Trend justification
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This species breeds in wet meadows, pastures, bogs, upland grassland, bracken-covered hillsides, heath, dry or wet open scrub and the fringes of reedbeds. It generally requires scattered shrubs, bushes, trees or man-made perches for songposts and foraging vantages, and low herb cover and bare ground in which to forage (shrubs and herb layer also needed for nesting). In north-west Europe, breeding occurs from mid-April to early August. The nest is a cup of grass stems, leaves and moss, lined with fine stems and hair and placed in a low bush or tussock. Clutches are four to seven eggs. The diet is mainly invertebrates, with fruits and seeds also taken in the autumn. The species is migratory, wintering in tropical Africa (Collar 2015).
The species has declined due to the intensification of agriculture and the advancing of harvesting dates. Deliberate capture of birds on the wintering grounds is high and may be a factor in declines (Collar 2015).
Conservation Actions Underway
CMS Appendix II. Bern Convention Appendix II. There are currently no known conservation measures for this species.
Conservation Actions Proposed
Conservation measures for this species should encourage the postponement of mowing to reduce nest losses and promote low-intensity grassland farming (Britschgi et al. 2006).
Text account compilers
Martin, R., Rutherford, C.A.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Whinchat Saxicola rubetra. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/whinchat-saxicola-rubetra on 22/12/2024.
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 22/12/2024.