Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to this discussion. We greatly appreciate the time and effort invested in commenting. The window for consultation is now closed and we are unable to accept any more comments until 2 February 2026. We will now analyse and interpret the information, and we will post a preliminary decision on this species’ Red List category on this page on 2 February 2026, when discussions will re-open.
We have received helpful comments via the IUCN SSC Bustard Specialist Group from John Pallett, noting that there is a forthcoming paper (Pallett and Ryan in press) detailing powerline mortality in Namibia and finding the cumulative impact is probably a significant contribution to the population reduction.
John kindly also highlighted the following omissions to correct.
First, subcriterion c was omitted from the rationale text: with an estimated reduction in the occupied area of habitat based on SABAP2 data (Lee 2024, 2025) in addition to the suspected rate of reduction based on an index of population abundance the species is proposed under A2bc.
The timing of the acceleration of the population reduction referred to for Blue Bustard is based on information within Lee (2024b) and Rose and Paul (2008).
We note that the potential threat to the species from unintentional poisoning as a result of locust-control programmes was referenced in Peacock (2015).
Further detail will be included in the final assessment submitted to IUCN.
Additional references
Allan, D.G. 2005. Karoo Korhaan Eupodotis vigorsii. In: Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ, Ryan PG (eds), Roberts Birds of Southern Africa 7th Edn. Cape Town, South Africa: Trustees of the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. pp 301–302.
Lee, A.T.K. 2024b. Regional Red Data Book of the Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini: SABAP2 synthesis and supporting information and graphics for Blue Korhaan. Unpublished report. BirdLife South Africa, Johannesburg.
Lee, A.T.K. and Wright, D.R. 2024. A conservation assessment of birds in the Karoo region of South Africa: densities, populations, ranges, and trend estimates. Ostrich 95: 129–139.
Pallett, J., Ryan, P.G. in press. Large bird collision mortality on power lines in southern Namibia. Ostrich.
Peacock, F. 2015. Karoo Korhaan Eupodotis vigorsii. In: Taylor MR, Peacock F, Wanless RM (eds), The Eskom Red Data Book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Johannesburg, South Africa: BirdLife South Africa.
Rose, S. and Paul, M. 2025. Blue Korhaan. In: Lee A.T.K., Rose, S., Banda, S., Bezeng, S.B., Maphalala, M.I., Maphisa, D.H., Smit-Robinson, H. (ed.), The 2025 Red Data Book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini, BirdLife South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Shaw, J.M., Reid, T.A., Gibbons, B.K., Pretorius, M., Jenkins, A.R., Visagie, R., Michael, M.D., Ryan, P.G. 2021. A large-scale experiment demonstrates that line marking reduces power line collision mortality for large terrestrial birds, but not bustards, in the Karoo, South Africa. The Condor 123(1): duaa067.
Silva, J.P., Marques, A.T., Bernardino, J., Allinson, T., Andryushchenko, Y., Dutta, S., Kessler, M., Martins, R.C., Moreira, F., Pallett, J., Pretorius, M.D. 2023. The effects of powerlines on bustards: how best to mitigate, how best to monitor? Bird Conservation International 33: e30.
Based on available information, our preliminary proposal for the 2026 Red List would be to adopt the proposed classification outlined in the initial forum discussion.
There is now a period for further comments until the final deadline on 8 February 2026, after which the recommended categorisations will be put forward to IUCN.
The final 2026 Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites later this year, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.
Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to this discussion. We greatly appreciate the time and effort invested in commenting. The window for consultation is now closed and we are unable to accept any more comments. We will analyse and interpret the information, and a final decision on this species’ Red List category will be posted on this page on 16 February 2026.
Recommended categorisation to be put forward to IUCN
The final categorisation for this species has not changed. Karoo Bustard is recommended to be listed as Near Threatened, approaching thresholds under Criterion A2bc.
Many thanks to everyone who contributed to the 2026.1 GTB Forum process. The final Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites later this year, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.
The approach to match to the national status seems appropriate
Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to this discussion. We greatly appreciate the time and effort invested in commenting. The window for consultation is now closed and we are unable to accept any more comments until 2 February 2026. We will now analyse and interpret the information, and we will post a preliminary decision on this species’ Red List category on this page on 2 February 2026, when discussions will re-open.
We have received helpful comments via the IUCN SSC Bustard Specialist Group from John Pallett, noting that there is a forthcoming paper (Pallett and Ryan in press) detailing powerline mortality in Namibia and finding the cumulative impact is probably a significant contribution to the population reduction.
John kindly also highlighted the following omissions to correct.
First, subcriterion c was omitted from the rationale text: with an estimated reduction in the occupied area of habitat based on SABAP2 data (Lee 2024, 2025) in addition to the suspected rate of reduction based on an index of population abundance the species is proposed under A2bc.
The timing of the acceleration of the population reduction referred to for Blue Bustard is based on information within Lee (2024b) and Rose and Paul (2008).
We note that the potential threat to the species from unintentional poisoning as a result of locust-control programmes was referenced in Peacock (2015).
Further detail will be included in the final assessment submitted to IUCN.
Additional references
Allan, D.G. 2005. Karoo Korhaan Eupodotis vigorsii. In: Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ, Ryan PG (eds), Roberts Birds of Southern Africa 7th Edn. Cape Town, South Africa: Trustees of the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. pp 301–302.
BirdLife South Africa 2025. Karoo Korhaan Heterotetrax vigorsii. In Regional Red Data Book 2025. https://www.birdlife.org.za/red-list/karoo-korhaan/
Lee, A.T.K. 2024b. Regional Red Data Book of the Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini: SABAP2 synthesis and supporting information and graphics for Blue Korhaan. Unpublished report. BirdLife South Africa, Johannesburg.
Lee, A.T.K. and Wright, D.R. 2024. A conservation assessment of birds in the Karoo region of South Africa: densities, populations, ranges, and trend estimates. Ostrich 95: 129–139.
Pallett, J., Ryan, P.G. in press. Large bird collision mortality on power lines in southern Namibia. Ostrich.
Peacock, F. 2015. Karoo Korhaan Eupodotis vigorsii. In: Taylor MR, Peacock F, Wanless RM (eds), The Eskom Red Data Book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Johannesburg, South Africa: BirdLife South Africa.
Rose, S. and Paul, M. 2025. Blue Korhaan. In: Lee A.T.K., Rose, S., Banda, S., Bezeng, S.B., Maphalala, M.I., Maphisa, D.H., Smit-Robinson, H. (ed.), The 2025 Red Data Book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini, BirdLife South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Shaw, J.M., Reid, T.A., Gibbons, B.K., Pretorius, M., Jenkins, A.R., Visagie, R., Michael, M.D., Ryan, P.G. 2021. A large-scale experiment demonstrates that line marking reduces power line collision mortality for large terrestrial birds, but not bustards, in the Karoo, South Africa. The Condor 123(1): duaa067.
Silva, J.P., Marques, A.T., Bernardino, J., Allinson, T., Andryushchenko, Y., Dutta, S., Kessler, M., Martins, R.C., Moreira, F., Pallett, J., Pretorius, M.D. 2023. The effects of powerlines on bustards: how best to mitigate, how best to monitor? Bird Conservation International 33: e30.
Preliminary proposal
Based on available information, our preliminary proposal for the 2026 Red List would be to adopt the proposed classification outlined in the initial forum discussion.
There is now a period for further comments until the final deadline on 8 February 2026, after which the recommended categorisations will be put forward to IUCN.
The final 2026 Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites later this year, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.
Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to this discussion. We greatly appreciate the time and effort invested in commenting. The window for consultation is now closed and we are unable to accept any more comments. We will analyse and interpret the information, and a final decision on this species’ Red List category will be posted on this page on 16 February 2026.
Recommended categorisation to be put forward to IUCN
The final categorisation for this species has not changed. Karoo Bustard is recommended to be listed as Near Threatened, approaching thresholds under Criterion A2bc.
Many thanks to everyone who contributed to the 2026.1 GTB Forum process. The final Red List categories will be published on the BirdLife and IUCN websites later this year, following further checking of information relevant to the assessments by both BirdLife and IUCN.