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The global population of Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus is listed as Near Threatened due to perceived moderately rapid population declines, owing to habitat loss and degradation. A very large portion of the global population occurs within the region in the austral summer although the number of birds is unknown. The global listing is therefore adopted, and the species is assessed as regionally Near Threatened.
The Red-footed Falcon is a Palearctic migrant whose breeding range extends from Central and Eastern Europe through northern Central Asia westwards as far east as Lake Baikal, Russia (Palatitz et al. 2009). The southern limit of the breeding range passes through Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, southern Russia and northern Kazakhstan (Cramp and Simmons 1983, Purger 2008). It migrates south in the austral summer across a broad front, with Botswana, northern Namibia and southern Angola being the main wintering grounds (Mendelsohn and Herremans 1997). Within the region it prefers large, open, grassy spaces in arid woodland, such as are found in the western portions of South Africa (Mendelsohn and Herremans 1997), where it is present from October to November, with numbers peaking in January to February. It is relatively uncommon and is prone to localised movements in response to rainfall and resultant insect irruptions (Mendelsohn and Herremans 1997). In the eastern parts of South Africa, the species is often overlooked amongst flocks of Lesser Kestrels F. naumanni and Amur Falcons F. amurensis. Departs for the breeding grounds in April, arriving in natal areas from late May onwards.
The species has a large global population estimated to be between 300 000 and 800 000 mature individuals (Palatitz et al. 2009). The number of birds visiting the region in the austral summer is unknown: while the vast majority of the world population spends the non-breeding season in southern Africa (particularly Botswana, northern Namibia, and southern Angola), the species is relatively uncommon within South Africa's borders, where it is greatly outnumbered by other small falcons (Mendelsohn and Herremans 1997).Confidence in the global population estimate is medium.
Recent evidence suggests that the global population is in decline (Palatitz et al. 2009). The European population of 26 000-39 000 pairs suffered a decline during 1970-1990 while further declines have been reported from Russia, Ukraine, eastern Siberia, Hungary and Bulgaria (Purger 2008, Palatitz et al. 2009). The declining global population is thought to be approaching the 30% threshold, which would require the uplisting of the species to globally Vulnerable. Confidence in this trend estimate is low.
The primary threat to the Red-footed Falcon on its breeding grounds is habitat loss and modification which drives a loss of nest sites (Palatitz et al. 2009). Agricultural intensification that has taken place in the western parts of its breeding range has led to significant loss of grasslands associated with the decline of traditional livestock husbandry (Böhning-Gaese and Bauer 1996). This, along with the cultivation of intertilled crops such as maize and sunflower, has reduced the suitable foraging habitats of the species, making its hunting technique less effective (Fehérvári et al. 2009). Declines can be partly attributed to a reduction in the Rook population between 1980-2006, limiting the availability of nest sites to Red-footed Falcons. Illegal shooting occurs during their migration (Palatitz et al. 2009). Threats to the species across its non-breeding grounds remain poorly known although the majority of threatened Palearctic migrants are limited by the quantity and quality of available habitat in non-breeding areas (Kirby et al. 2008) and it is likely that Red-footed Falcon is similarly affected. Small falcons that use roadside telephone and electricity wires as hunting perches are frequently killed by vehicles. The species' habit of roosting communally in localised large trees makes it inherently vulnerable; such trees are often alien species situated in rural towns, where the birds may be seen as a nuisance and their roost trees felled.
A European Species Action Plan for the Red-footed Falcon was completed in 2009 (Palatitz et al. 2009). The species is listed under Category 1 of the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia 1979. No species-specific conservation measures are currently underway within the region, although the different regional awareness projects of the Endangered Wildlife Trust's Birds of Prey Working group would benefit this species. Currently the Endangered Wildlife Trust's Migratory Kestrel Project focuses mainly on counting and conservation of Lesser Kestrel and Amur Falcon at their roost trees; this project should be expanded to include Red-footed Falcons, possibly in partnership with the established regional network of BirdLife South Africa branches.
Efforts to conserve migratory birds in a portion of their range are less effective if unaddressed threats are reducing these species' populations and habitats elsewhere (Kirby et al. 2008). While the threats to the Red-footed Falcon across its southern African non-breeding grounds remain poorly known and largely undocumented (Palatitz et al. 2009), it is essential that an effort is made by local conservation groups, through collaboration with northern hemisphere counterparts, to obtain a firmer understanding of the threats and to address them. Local conservation measures would flow from the results of research questions listed here, but could also include a register of roost trees that are utilised by this species, which should be earmarked for protection.
* Expert assessment of threats facing the species in southern Africa (including from collaborators in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana) is required.
* The identification of key wintering grounds in southern Africa, with the aim of informing the delineation of potential IBAs, needs to be undertaken.
* Identification of traditional communal roost sites should be a priority. Such localised sites can be relatively easily conserved, and provide valuable opportunities for counts and population estimates.
* The impact that primary and secondary poisoning has on overwintering Red-footed Falcon populations within the region needs to be established.
* Conduct further research into the effects of changes in land-use through agriculture and land-management on this species within the region.