Falco cherrug -- Gray, 1834 ANIMALIA -- CHORDATA -- AVES -- FALCONIFORMES -- FALCONIDAE Common names: Saker Falcon; Faucon sacre; Saker European Red List Assessment European Red List Status VU -- Vulnerable, (IUCN version 3.1) Assessment Information Year published: 2015 Date assessed: 2015-03-31 Assessor(s): BirdLife International Reviewer(s): Symes, A. Compiler(s): Ashpole, J., Burfield, I., Ieronymidou, C., Pople, R., Wheatley, H. & Wright, L. Assessment Rationale European regional assessment: Vulnerable (VU) EU27 regional assessment: Vulnerable (VU) This species has a small population in both Europe and the EU27, which is now increasing owing to intensive wardening and management, after historical declines. The population size within the region meets the threshold for classification as Vulnerable under the small population criterion, with an increasing population trend. Since the species is estimated to be undergoing rapid declines across much of the remainder of its large global range, there is not considered to be significant potential for rescue from outside the region and the final category is unchanged. The species is therefore classified as Vulnerable (D1) in both Europe and the EU27. Occurrence Countries/Territories of Occurrence Native: Armenia; Austria; Azerbaijan; Bulgaria; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Georgia; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Italy; Malta; Moldova; Montenegro; Poland; Romania; Russian Federation; Serbia; Slovakia; Turkey; Ukraine Vagrant: Albania; Denmark; Finland; France; Spain; Sweden Population The European population is estimated at 350-500 pairs, which equates to 710-990 mature individuals. The population in the EU27 is estimated at 270-350 pairs, which equates to 550-700 mature individuals. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Trend In Europe and the EU27 the population size is estimated to be increasing. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Habitats and Ecology It is physically adapted to hunting close to the ground in open terrain, combining rapid acceleration with high manoeuvrability, thus specialising on mid-sized diurnal terrestrial rodents of open grassy landscapes such as steppes and arid montane areas; in some areas, particularly near water, it switches to birds as key prey, and has recently substituted domestic pigeons (Columba livia) for rodents in parts of Europe. It uses copses or cliffs for nest sites (sometimes even the ground), occupying the old nests of other birds. Clutch size varies from two to six, with means from 3.2-3.9 in different circumstances. Breeding success varies with year (especially in areas where rodents cycle) (Baumgart 1991, Snow and Perrins 1998). The species usually occurs singly or in pairs (Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001). Birds are sedentary, part-migratory or fully migratory, largely depending on the extent to which the food supply in breeding areas disappears in winter (Baumgart 1991, Snow and Perrins 1998). Migrating central European adults travel as far as the Mediterranean. Juveniles are mainly migratory with central and eastern European birds wandering from the Balkans to Turkmenistan, Egypt and north-west India (Hagemeijer and Blair 1997). Migrating birds generally leave their breeding grounds in September and October, returning between February and May (del Hoyo et al. 1994). Habitats & Altitude Habitat (level 1 - level 2) Importance Occurrence Grassland - Temperate suitable breeding Grassland - Temperate suitable non-breeding Marine Intertidal - Mud Flats and Salt Flats suitable non-breeding Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) suitable breeding Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under ha) major non-breeding Altitude 0-2000 m Occasional altitudinal limits Threats In Europe, this species has suffered mainly from the loss and degradation of steppes and dry grasslands through agricultural intensification, plantation establishment and declines in sheep pastoralism, causing a decline in key prey species; offtake for falconry is a serious problem, which has caused local extinctions (Baumgart 1991, 1994, K. Ruskov in litt. 2007). In eastern Hungary, landscape reversion following the abandonment of agriculture could have a negative influence, as most prey species require short swards that are maintained by agricultural practices (S. Nagy in litt. 2007). Elsewhere, declines are mainly attributable to offtake for falconry, although persecution, pesticide use and agrochemical deployment play a lesser part (Baumgart 1991, Riddle and Remple 1994, Barton 2000, Eastham et al. 2000, Fox 2002, Haines 2002, ERWDA 2003). Hybridisation with escaped or released hybrid falcons could influence the genetic integrity of wild populations (S. Nagy in litt. 2007, Nittinger et al. 2007). Threats & Impacts Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses Agriculture & Agro-industry Timing Scope Severity Impact aquaculture farming Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Medium Impact Declines Stresses Ecosystem conversion; Ecosystem degradation Agriculture & Small-holder Timing Scope Severity Impact aquaculture grazing, ranching or Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Low Impact farming Declines Stresses Ecosystem conversion; Ecosystem degradation Agriculture & Wood & pulp Timing Scope Severity Impact aquaculture plantations (scale Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Low Impact unknown/ Declines unrecorded) Stresses Ecosystem conversion; Ecosystem degradation Biological resource Hunting & trapping Timing Scope Severity Impact use terrestrial animals Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Medium Impact (intentional use - Declines species is the target) Stresses Species mortality; Hybridisation; Reduced reproductive success Biological resource Hunting & trapping Timing Scope Severity Impact use terrestrial animals Ongoing Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Low Impact (persecution/ control) Stresses Species mortality Biological resource Hunting & trapping Timing Scope Severity Impact use terrestrial animals Ongoing Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Low Impact (unintentional effects - species is Stresses not the target) Indirect ecosystem effects Natural system Large dams Timing Scope Severity Impact modifications Future Minority (<50%) Unknown Unknown Stresses Ecosystem conversion; Ecosystem degradation Threats & Impacts Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses Pollution Herbicides and Timing Scope Severity Impact pesticides Ongoing Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Low Impact Stresses Ecosystem degradation; Species mortality Residential & Housing & urban Timing Scope Severity Impact commercial areas Ongoing Minority (<50%) Unknown Unknown development Stresses Ecosystem conversion; Ecosystem degradation Conservation Conservation Actions Underway This is a protected and Red-listed species in many range states, particularly in the western parts of its range (Baumgart 1991, 1994). It is listed on CMS Appendix I and II (as of November 2011, and excluding the Mongolian population) and CITES Appendix II, and in 2002 CITES imposed a trade ban on U.A.E., strongly affecting the unregulated market there (Fox 2002). It occurs in a number of protected areas across its range. Intensive wardening and management has produced a steadily rising population in Hungary (Baumgart 1994). Controls of illegal trade were implemented in various countries in western range in the 1990s (Baumgart 1994). Captive breeding has developed strongly in some countries as a means of substituting farmed for wild- caught birds (Riddle and Remple 1994, N. Fox in litt. 2002). New research programmes in many parts of the range have begun to establish baseline data on distribution, population, ecology and threats. As a product of the resolution resulting from CMS COP10 in November 2011, a Saker Falcon Task Force was established and met for the first time in March 2012 in Abu Dhabi (U.A.E.). The task force has the objective of involving range states, partners and interested parties in the development of a coordinated Global Action Plan for the species's conservation, including a management and monitoring framework. Conservation efforts in Europe have resulted in positive population trends (A. Dixon in litt. 2012). Conservation Actions Proposed Maintain or implement programmes of population and habitat management throughout the range. Maintain or improve systems of wardening and customs control (including DNA sampling to check provenance of traded birds). Continue key biological research (Baumgart 1991, 1994). Enforce CITES regulations. Improve exportation standards including meeting IATA transportation specifications. Improve import regulations, staff capacity and practices (quarantine facilities). Monitor markets to quantify falcon trade. Develop existing microchipping schemes to help monitor and regulate trade and quantify its effects. Increase awareness of health and conservation issues among falconers. Continue studying, monitoring and censusing the species throughout its range. Maintain ecologically and socially sustainable grazing systems to ensure long-term survival of key prey species. Bring greater protection (against conversion, degradation and pollution) to key breeding environments (Baumgart 1991, Bailey et al. 2001, Fox 2002, ERWDA 2003). Bibliography Bailey, T.; Launay, F.; Sullivan, T. 2001. Health issues of the international trade of falcons and bustards in the Middle East: the need for regional monitoring and regulation? In: Potapov, S.; Banzragch, S.; Fox, N.; Barton, N. (ed.), Saker