Emberiza rustica -- Pallas, 1776ANIMALIA -- CHORDATA -- AVES -- PASSERIFORMES -- EMBERIZIDAECommon names: Rustic Bunting;

European Red List AssessmentEuropean Red List Status

VU -- Vulnerable, (IUCN version 3.1)

Assessment InformationYear published: 2015Date assessed: 2015-03-31Assessor(s): BirdLife InternationalReviewer(s): Symes, A.Compiler(s): Ashpole, J., Burfield, I., Ieronymidou, C., Pople, R., van Kleunen A., Wheatley, H. &

Wright, L.Assessment RationaleEuropean regional assessment: Vulnerable (VU)EU27 regional assessment: Vulnerable (VU)

This species underwent catastrophic declines in the western part of the large global breeding range during the latter part of the 20th century, and declines are estimated to have continued at a rapid rate over the past three generations, reaching an estimated 30-49%. It is therefore classified as Vulnerable (A2abcd+3bcd+4abcd) in both Europe and the EU27.

OccurrenceCountries/Territories of OccurrenceNative:Estonia; Finland; Latvia; Norway; Russian Federation; SwedenVagrant:Austria; Belgium; Bulgaria; Croatia; Denmark; France; Germany; Greece; Iceland; Italy; Malta; Montenegro; Netherlands; Poland; Portugal; Serbia; Slovenia; Spain; Switzerland; Turkey; United Kingdom

PopulationThe European population is estimated at 681,000-831,000 pairs, which equates to 1,360,000-1,660,000 mature individuals. The population in the EU27 is estimated at 181,000-331,000 pairs, which equates to 362,000-662,000 mature individuals. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF.

TrendIn Europe and the EU27 the population size is estimated to be decreasing by 30-49% in 10.8 years (three generations). For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF.

Habitats and EcologyIn the Scandinavian part of its range this species prefers mires dominated by spruce and birch and an undergrowth of shrubs and grasses. It also inhabits damp coniferous forests and birch dominated heaths interspersed with juniper. It may benefit from the construction of dams by beavers (Hagemeijer & Blair 1997, Copete and Garcia 2014, Dale & Hansen 2013). The breeding season starts late, ends May to early June. The nest is usually placed on the ground often near water, among grassy vegetation. Occasionally it is built in a low tree. The clutch, usually four to six eggs, is incubated by both the male and female. The chicks hatch after 11–13 days. They are fed by both parents and leave the nest after 7–10 days. Then they are fed by the parents for another 15 days before they are able to fly. The species is migratory; they leave the breeding grounds between late July and mid-September to travel to the wintering grounds in Asia. During the breeding season it mostly feeds on seeds and a wide variety of invertebrate species (Copete and Garcia 2014).Habitats & Altitude

Habitat (level 1 - level 2) Importance OccurrenceForest - Boreal suitable breeding

http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/userfiles/file/Species/erlob/supplementarypdfs/22720960_emberiza_rustica.pdfhttp://www.birdlife.org/datazone/userfiles/file/Species/erlob/supplementarypdfs/22720960_emberiza_rustica.pdfhttp://www.birdlife.org/datazone/userfiles/file/Species/erlob/supplementarypdfs/22720960_emberiza_rustica.pdfhttp://www.birdlife.org/datazone/userfiles/file/Species/erlob/supplementarypdfs/22720960_emberiza_rustica.pdf

Habitats & AltitudeHabitat (level 1 - level 2) Importance Occurrence

Forest - Temperate suitable breedingShrubland - Boreal suitable breedingWetlands (inland) - Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands suitable breedingAltitude Occasional altitudinal limits

ThreatsThe numbers of this species have declined in the Scandinavian part of its range since 1980. This decline is associated with forest logging and draining of swamps leading to habitat degradation or even destruction. However the habitat of the species in Norway where it has also declined has remained rather unchanged (Dale & Hansen 2013). It is suggested that habitat destruction and hunting and trapping, taking place in the east Asian wintering grounds, may be the cause of the species's decline in Norway.Threats & Impacts

Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and StressesBiological resource use

Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals (motivation unknown/unrecorded)

Timing Scope Severity ImpactOngoing Unknown Unknown Unknown

StressesSpecies mortality

Biological resource use

Logging & wood harvesting (motivation unknown/unrecorded)

Timing Scope Severity ImpactOngoing Unknown Unknown Unknown

StressesEcosystem conversion; Ecosystem degradation

Natural system modifications

Abstraction of surface water (unknown use)

Timing Scope Severity ImpactOngoing Unknown Unknown Unknown

StressesEcosystem conversion; Ecosystem degradation

ConservationConservation Actions UnderwayThere are currently no known conservation measures for this species.

Conservation Actions ProposedConduct research into the causes of the species decline in its breeding area and in particular its non-breeding area.

BibliographyBirdLife International (2015) Species factsheet: Emberiza rustica. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 30/03/2015.Copete, C.L. 2011. Rustic Bunting (Emberiza rustica). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Christie D.A. (eds.) 2014. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol 16. Tanagers to New World Blackbirds. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.Dale, S. & Hansen, K. 2013. Population decline in the Rustic Bunting Emberiza rustica in Norway. Ornis Fennica 90:193–202.Hagemeijer, E.J.M. & Blair, M.J. (eds) 1997. The EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds: Their Distribution and Abundance. T & A D Poyser, London.Copete, J.L. & Garcia, E.F.J. (2014). Rustic Bunting (Emberiza rustica). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.) (2014). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from http://www.hbw.com/node/61884 on 24 April 2015).

Map (see overleaf)