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 <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). 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 (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Population justification
The global population is estimated to number 3,200,000 mature individuals (Partners in Flight 2022).
Trend justification
The species has been undergoing a slow decline at an average rate of 0.5% per year between 1970 and 2017 (Partners in Flight 2022). Over the past three generations, the population in North America has declined by 13%, though this value is non-significant (Pardieck et al. 2019). To accounts for uncertainty, the decline is therefore here placed in the band 1-19% over three generations.
Habitat is lost and degraded through the destruction and disturbance of roosting and nesting sites in quarries and cliffs (Ryan and Collins 2020). A further threat in agricultural areas is the use of insecticides and pesticides to control insects, which are the main food source for this species (Ryan and Collins 2020).
Text account compilers
Hermes, C., Bell, F.
Contributors
Butchart, S. & Ekstrom, J.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: White-throated Swift Aeronautes saxatalis. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/white-throated-swift-aeronautes-saxatalis on 24/11/2024.
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 24/11/2024.