European Red List Status LC -- Least Concern, (IUCN version 3.1)

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1 Mareca penelope -- (Linnaeus, 1758) ANIMALIA -- CHORDATA -- AVES -- ANSERIFORMES -- ANATIDAE Common names: Eurasian Wigeon; Canard siffleur; European Wigeon; Wigeon Assessment Information European Red List Status LC -- Least Concern, (IUCN version 3.1) European Red List Assessment Year published: 2015 Date assessed: 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: Least Concern (LC) EU27 regional assessment: Vulnerable (VU) In Europe 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 km 2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population size is very 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). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern in Europe. In the EU27 the species is undergoing rapid declines, and it is therefore classified as Vulnerable (A2abcde +3bcde+4abcde), and there is not considered to be significant potential for rescue from outside the EU27, so the final category is unchanged. Occurrence Countries/Territories of Occurrence Native: Albania; Armenia; Austria; Azerbaijan; Belarus; Belgium; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Faroe Islands (to DK); Estonia; Finland; France; Georgia; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Iceland; Ireland, Rep. of; Italy; Latvia; Liechtenstein; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Malta; Montenegro; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Russian Federation; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Turkey; Ukraine; United Kingdom Vagrant: Greenland (to DK); Svalbard and Jan Mayen (to NO); Canary Is. (to ES) Population The European population is estimated at 469, ,000 pairs, which equates to 937,000-1,290,000 mature individuals. The population in the EU27 is estimated at 79, ,000 pairs, which equates to 159, ,000 mature individuals. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Trend In Europe the population is estimated to be stable. In the EU27 the population is estimated to be decreasing by 30-49% in 19.2 years (three generations). For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Habitats and Ecology This species breeds in lowland freshwater marshes, slow-flowing large rivers (Kretchmar 1994) and shallow lakes and lagoons with ample submerged, floating and emerging vegetation (Kear 2005). Ideal wetland

2 habitats for this species are those surrounded by sparse open forest, woodland and especially agricultural land (Kretchmar 1994, Kear 2005), in the boreal and subarctic zone (Cramp and Simmons 1977, Kear 2005). It avoids tundra, densely forested and mountainous country, as well as fast flowing rivers and streams, but tolerates saline or alkaline steppe lakes and wetlands (Cramp and Simmons 1977, Madge and Burn 1988). In the non-breeding season this species shows a preference for coastal salt-marshes, freshwater, brackish and saline lagoons, flooded grasslands, estuaries, intertidal mudflats (Cramp and Simmons 1977), and other sheltered marine habitats (Kear 2005). The breeding season is from April to June, varying across its range according to latitude, with nests sometimes initiated in April in Scotland, but may not arrive on breeding grounds in northern Russia until the second half of May (Carboneras et al. 2014). The nests of this species are shallow depressions in the ground lined with vegetation, usually positioned not far from water and well concealed under overhanging vegetation, in grass tussocks, scrub (Kear 2005), and especially in heather (Jacobsen and Ugelvik 1998). Usually eight or nine eggs are laid (Carboneras et al. 2014).It is vegetarian and consumes the leaves, seeds, stems and root bulbs of pond weeds, fine grasses (Myrfyn and Thomas 1979), horsetails (Kretchmar 1994) and eelgrass, as well as algae (Johnsgard 1978). Animal material is taken rarely and usually incidentally along with vegetation or seeds (Myrfyn and Thomas 1979, Kear 2005). The species is strongly migratory, undertaking significant cold weather movements of varying magnitude (Scott and Rose 1996). Habitats & Altitude Habitat (level 1 - level 2) Importance Occurrence Marine Coastal/Supratidal - Coastal Brackish/Saline Lagoons/Marine Lakes suitable non-breeding Marine Coastal/Supratidal - Coastal Freshwater Lakes suitable non-breeding Marine Intertidal - Mud Flats and Salt Flats suitable non-breeding Marine Intertidal - Salt Marshes (Emergent Grasses) suitable non-breeding Marine Neritic - Estuaries suitable non-breeding Wetlands (inland) - Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands suitable breeding Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over ha) suitable breeding Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under ha) suitable breeding Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Marshes/Pools suitable breeding Wetlands (inland) - Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Lakes (over ha) suitable breeding Wetlands (inland) - Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under ha) suitable breeding Altitude Occasional altitudinal limits Threats This species is susceptible to disturbance from freshwater recreational activities (Grishanov 2006, Carboneras et al. 2014) (e.g. tourists walking) (Mathers et al. 2000), pollution, petroleum pollution (Grishanov 2006)), wetland drainage (Grishanov 2006, Carboneras et al. 2014), peat-extraction (e.g. in the Kaliningrad region of Russia), changing wetland management practices (decreased grazing and mowing in meadows leading to scrub over-growth) and the burning and mowing of reeds (Grishanov 2006). Avian influenza virus (strain H5N1) is also a potential threat (Melville and Shortridge 2006, Jonassen and Handeland 2007), as is poisoning from the ingestion of lead shot pellets (Mondain-Monval et al. 2002). This species is hunted for sport (e.g. in the U.K.) (Kear 2005, Carboneras et al. 2014), and although population numbers in an area decrease significantly after a period of shooting, there is no current evidence that such utilisation poses an immediate threat to the species (Vaananen 2001, Bregnballe et al. 2006). The eggs of this species used to be (and possibly still are) harvested in Iceland (Gudmundsson 1979). Threats & Impacts Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Climate change & Habitat shifting & severe weather alteration Future Whole (>90%) Unknown Unknown Ecosystem degradation; Indirect ecosystem effects Human intrusions & disturbance Recreational activities Ongoing Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Low Impact Species disturbance

3 Threats & Impacts Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Invasive and other Avian Influenza problematic Virus (H subtype) Past, Likely to Minority (<50%) Rapid Declines Past Impact species, genes & Return diseases Species mortality Natural system Abstraction of modifications ground water Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant (agricultural use) Declines Low Impact Ecosystem degradation Natural system Other ecosystem modifications modifications Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Low Impact Declines Ecosystem degradation Pollution Industrial & military effluents (type Ongoing Minority (<50%) Rapid Declines Medium Impact unknown/ unrecorded) Species mortality Pollution Oil spills Ongoing Minority (<50%) Rapid Declines Medium Impact Ecosystem degradation; Species mortality Conservation Conservation Actions Underway CMS Appendix II. EU Birds Directive Annex II and III. Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and Pine Martens (Martes martes) were removed from regions in Finland resulting in a significant increase in the breeding success of this species (Kauhala 2004). Conservation Actions Proposed Suitable areas of wetland habitat should be protected from changing management practices, disturbance and modification. The impact of hunting should be researched and monitored to ensure bag numbers are sustainable and the use of lead shot banned. Bibliography Bregnballe, T., Noer, H., Christensen, T.K., Clausen, P., Asferg, T., Fox, A.D. and Delany, S Sustainable hunting of migratory waterbirds: the Danish approach. In: Boere, G., Galbraith, C. and Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK. Carboneras, C., Christie, D.A. and Kirwan, G.M Eurasian Wigeon (Mareca penelope). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. and de Juana, E. (eds.) Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from on 3 March 2015). Cramp, S. and Simmons, K.E.L Handbook of the birds of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The birds of the western Palearctic, vol. I: ostriches to ducks. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Grishanov, D Conservation problems of migratory waterfowl and shorebirds and their habitats in the Kaliningrad region of Russia. In: Boere, G.; Galbraith, C. and Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK. Gudmundsson, F The past status and exploitation of the Myvatn waterfowl populations. Oikos 32(1-2): Hagemeijer, W.J.M. and Blair, M.J The EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds: Their Distribution and Abundance. T & A D Poyser, London. Jacobsen, O.W. and Ugelvik, M Nest habitat of Eurasian Wigeon Anas Penelope in SW Norway. Fauna (Oslo) 51(3):

4 Bibliography Johnsgard, P.A Ducks, geese and swans of the World. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln and London. Jonassen, C.M. and Handeland, K Avian influenza virus screening in wild waterfowl in Norway, Avian Diseases 51(1): Kauhala, K Removal of medium-sized predators and the breeding success of ducks in Finland. Folia Zoologica 53(4): Kear, J Ducks, geese and swans volume 2: species accounts (Cairina to Mergus). Oxford University Press, Oxford, U.K. Kretchmar, A.V Eurasian wigeon (Anas penelope) in north-eastern Asia. Zoologichesky Zhurnal 73(5): Madge, S. and Burn, H Wildfowl. Christopher Helm, London. Mathers, R.G., Watson, S., Stone, R. and Montgomery, W. I A study of the impact of human disturbance on Wigeon Anas penelope and Brent Geese Branta bernicla hrota on an Irish sea loch. Wildfowl 51: Melville, D.S. and Shortridge, K.F Migratory waterbirds and avian influenza in the East Asian- Australasian Flyway with particular reference to the H5N1 outbreak. In: Boere, G., Galbraith, C. and Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK. Mondain-Monval, J.Y., Desnouhes, L. and Taris, J.P Lead shot ingestion in waterbirds in the Camargue, (France). Game and Wildlife Science 19(3): Myrfyn, O. and Thomas, G.J The feeding ecology and conservation of wigeon wintering at the Ouse Washes, England. Journal of Applied Ecology 16: Scott, D.A. and Rose, P.M Atlas of Anatidae populations in Africa and western Eurasia. Wetlands International, Wageningen, Netherlands. Vaananen, V.M Hunting disturbance and the timing of autumn migration in Anas species. Wildlife Biology 7(1): 3-9. Map (see overleaf)

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