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Description |
Geographic Range [top]
Countries occurrence:
Native:
Afghanistan; Albania; Algeria; Armenia (Armenia); Austria; Azerbaijan; Bahrain; Bangladesh; Belgium; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Cape Verde; Chad; China; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Djibouti; Egypt; Eritrea; Ethiopia; France; Gambia; Germany; Greece; Guinea-Bissau; Hong Kong; Hungary; India; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Iraq; Israel; Italy; Japan; Jordan; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Korea, Democratic Peoples Republic of; Korea, Republic of; Kuwait; Kyrgyzstan; Lebanon; Libya; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Mali; Malta; Mauritania; Moldova; Mongolia; Montenegro; Morocco; Myanmar; Nepal; Netherlands; Oman; Pakistan; Palestinian Territory, Occupied; Portugal; Qatar; Romania; Russian Federation; Saudi Arabia; Senegal; Serbia (Serbia); Slovakia; Slovenia; Somalia; South Sudan; Spain (Canary Is. - Vagrant); Sri Lanka; Sudan; Switzerland; Syrian Arab Republic; Taiwan, Province of China; Tajikistan; Thailand; Tunisia; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Ukraine; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; Uzbekistan; Western Sahara; Yemen
Vagrant:
Belarus; Brazil; Burkina Faso; Cameroon; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Faroe Islands; Finland; Greenland; Iceland; Ireland; Latvia; Luxembourg; Maldives; Niger; Nigeria; Norway; Poland; Sweden; Trinidad and Tobago; Uganda
Additional data:
? Continuing decline in area of occupancy (AOO): Unknown
? Extreme fluctuations in area of occupancy (AOO): No ? Estimated extent of occurrence (EOO) - km2: 4420000
? Continuing decline in extent of occurrence (EOO): Unknown ? Extreme fluctuations in extent of occurrence (EOO): No
? Continuing decline in number of locations: Unknown
? Extreme fluctuations in the number of locations: No
Range Map: Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.
Population [top]
Population: The global population is estimated to number c.66,000-140,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2006), while national population sizes have been estimated at < c.100 breeding pairs, < c.50 individuals on migration and c.50-1,000 wintering individuals in China and < c.100 breeding pairs and < c.50 individuals on migration in Russia (Brazil 2009).
Trend Justification: The overall population trend is uncertain, as some populations are decreasing, while others are increasing or stable (Wetlands International 2006).
Current Population Trend: Unknown
Additional data:
? Continuing decline of mature individuals: Unknown
? Extreme fluctuations: No ? Population severely fragmented: No
? Continuing decline in subpopulations: Unknown
? Extreme fluctuations in subpopulations: No ? All individuals in one subpopulation: No
Habitat and Ecology [top]
Habitat and Ecology: Behaviour Palearctic breeding populations are fully migratory (del Hoyo et al. 1992) but may only travel short distances (Snow and Perrins 1998) while other populations are resident and nomadic or partially migratory (del Hoyo et al. 1992). In the north of its range the species breeds in the local spring (e.g. from April) but in the tropics the timing of breeding coincides with the rains (del Hoyo et al. 1992). The species usually nests in monospecific colonies or in small monospecific groups amidst mixed-species colonies (del Hoyo et al. 1992). When not breeding the species forages singly or in small flocks (del Hoyo et al. 1992) of up to 100 individuals (Hancock et al. 1992) and migrates in flocks of up to 100 individuals (Africa) (Brown et al. 1982, Snow and Perrins 1998). It is most active during the morning and evening (although in coastal areas it forages at low tide regardless of the time of day) (Hancock et al. 1992), and often roosts communally up to 15 km away from feeding areas (Brown et al. 1982). Habitat The species shows a preference for extensive shallow (del Hoyo et al. 1992) (less than 30 cm deep) wetlands with mud, clay or fine sand substrates, generally avoiding waters with rocky substrates, thick vegetation or swift currents (Hancock et al. 1992). It inhabits either fresh, brackish or saline (Hancock et al. 1992, Snow and Perrins 1998) marshes, rivers, lakes, flooded areas and mangrove swamps, especially those with islands for nesting or dense emergent vegetation (e.g. reedbeds) and scattered trees or srubs (del Hoyo et al. 1992) (preferably willow Salix spp., oak Quercus spp. or poplar Populus spp.) (Hancock et al. 1992). It may also frequent sheltered marine habitats during the winter such as deltas, estuaries, tidal creeks and coastal lagoons (Hancock et al. 1992, del Hoyo et al. 1992). Diet Its diet consists of adult and larval insects (e.g. waterbeetles, dragonflies, caddisflies, locusts and flies), molluscs, crustaceans, worms, leeches, frogs, tadpoles and small fish (del Hoyo et al. 1992) up to 10-15 cm long (Hancock et al. 1992). It may also take algae or small fragments of aquatic plants (del Hoyo et al. 1992) (although these are possibly ingested accidentally with animal matter) (Hancock et al. 1992). Breeding site The nest is a platform of sticks and vegetation constructed on the ground on islands in lakes and rivers, or alternatively in dense stands of emergent vegetation (e.g. reedbeds) (del Hoyo et al. 1992), bushes, mangroves or deciduous trees (e.g. willow Salix spp., oak Quercus spp. or poplar Populus spp.) (Hancock et al. 1992) up to 5 m above the ground (del Hoyo et al. 1992). The species nests in colonies within which neighbouring nests are usually placed 1-2 m apart or touching (Hancock et al. 1992). Breeding colonies are sited within 10-15 km of feeding areas, often much less (although the species may also feed up to 35-40 km away) (Hancock et al. 1992).
Systems: Terrestrial; Freshwater; Marine
Continuing decline in area, extent and/or quality of habitat: Unknown
Generation Length (years): 7.2
Movement patterns: Full Migrant
Congregatory: Congregatory (and dispersive)
Threats [top]
Major Threat(s): The species is threatened by habitat degradation through drainage and pollution (del Hoyo et al. 1992) (e.g. chlorinated hydrocarbons) (Hancock et al. 1992), and is especially affected by the disappearance of reed swamps due to agricultural and hydroelectric development (Hancock et al. 1992). Over-fishing and disturbance have caused population declines in Greece (Hancock et al. 1992), and human exploitation of eggs and nestlings for food has threatened the species in the past (Hancock et al. 1992, del Hoyo et al. 1992). The species is also susceptible to avian influenza so may be threatened by future outbreaks of the virus (Melville and Shortridge 2006).
Citation: BirdLife International. 2015. Platalea leucorodia. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T22697555A84613817. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015.RLTS.T22697555A84613817.en. Downloaded on 09 November 2016.
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