Alaudala rufescens | UAE National Red List of Birds

Publication

UAE National Red List of Birds

Location

Countries in Assessment

United Arab Emirates (the)

Country ISO code(s)

ARE

Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?

Off

Scope (Assessment)

National

Taxon

Taxonomic Group

Vertebrates

Taxonomic Group Level 2

Birds

Assessed taxon level

Species

Taxonomic Notes

Calandrella rufescens (AERC TAC [2003]; Cramp et al. [1977-1994]; Dowsett & Forbes-Watson [1993]; Sibley & Monroe [1990, 1993]) and C. cheleensis (Sibley & Monroe [1990, 1993]) have been lumped into Alaudala rufescens following del Hoyo and Collar (2016).

Taxon distribution as listed in assessment

The majority of occurrences of this species within the UAE are likely to be of migrant individuals on passage to and from the breeding grounds in September-November and March-April (Richardson 1990, Pedersen et al. 2017). It is also a common wintering bird in the country (Pedersen et al. 2017). Since 1993, there was a small resident population of about 20 pairs in the UAE, which bred on Taweela Island/Ras Ghanada (Abu Dhabi) and Siniyah Island (Umm al-Quwain), as well as along the coast from Umm al-Quwain to Ras al-Khaimah emirates (Richardson and Aspinall 1998, Jennings 2010, Pedersen et al. 2017). However, it is now believed that the species no longer breeds regularly in the UAE, if it still breeds at all (R. Sheldon;in litt.;2019). There hasn't been sufficient surveying work, though, to confirm its disappearance from the country as a breeding species, and it is quite possible that there could be individuals breeding in unsurveyed areas. Therefore, for this process it is tentatively treated as being still extant.

Habitats and Ecology

Ecological system type

Terrestrial system

Freshwater system

Marine system

Habitat

Habitat details as listed in assessment

This species occurs on open plains of sand or gravel, covered with a dense layer of grasses and herbs (Jennings 2010). It is often found on cultivated areas, near rain pools and on saltflats (Jennings 2010, Aspinall and Porter 2011). It avoids areas with dense vegetation of bushes and trees, and is rare in rocky deserts and on hillsides (Jennings 2010). It is often found in association with other larks, especially the Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla (Jennings 2010). In winter, the species can form flocks of up to several thousand individuals (Jennings 2010). There is no information available on its diet in the UAE. Elsewhere, the diet varies seasonally between invertebrates and seeds. In the spring it feeds mostly on invertebrates and in winter mostly seeds with a mix of the two consumed in summer. Fruits and bulbs are also taken. The breeding season lasts from February to August. The nest is a small scrape on the ground beside a small shrub or tuft, or in the open and lined with vegetation. Normally four to five eggs are laid.

Is there a map available in assessment?

Yes

Assessed status

Asessment status in full

Critically Endangered

Assessment status abreviation

Assessment status criteria

Assessment rationale/justification

This species has a small non-breeding population that would warrant a listing as Endangered under criterion D. However, the species is thought to have previously bred in the UAE, and the breeding status takes precedence here. The species is suspected to no longer be a breeding species in the country, but lack of sufficient survey work to confirm its disappearance from the whole country means that it is tentatively treated here as being still extant. Any remaining breeding population is still thought to be tiny. Therefore, the species is listed here as Critically Endangered under criterion D.

About the assessment

Assessment year

2019

Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed

UAE National Red List Workshop

Affliation of assessor(s)/contributors/reviewers listed on assessment

Government

IGO

Assessor affiliation specific

Government|IGO

Criteria system

Criteria system specifics

IUCN v3.1 + Regional Guidelines v4.0

Criteria system used

IUCN

Criteria Citation

IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1, Second edition. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. iv + 32pp pp. And IUCN. 2012. Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional and National Levels: Version 4.0. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iii + 41pp.

Endemism

Endemic to region

Not assigned

Endemism Notes

Is an endemic?: Not_assigned

Conservation

Threats listed in assessment

Development around Ras Ghanada could encroach on breeding sites, but this was thought to be likely to only have a negligible impact on the population, and Aspinall (1996) believed that unless there is to be any significant change in land-use in the near future it is unlikely that the species will face any severe threats. Given that the species has now potentially gone extinct within the UAE as a breeding species either Aspinall (1996) underestimated the impact of development on this species or there are further unidentified threats that have driven the species's potential disappearance as a breeding bird in UAE. Predation by cats,;Felis catus,;has been noted to cause local declines on the Arabian Peninsula for Crested Lark (Symes;et al.;2015), and this is another possible threat to this species.

Conservation Measures

Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures:

Further information

History

It is assessed that in 1996, the national Red List status of this species would have been the same as in this assessment, as while there was still confirmed breeding in 1996, the population size would still likely have met the thresholds for listed as Critically Endangered.