This resident species used to be widely distributed throughout southeast Asian countries. It is now extinct in China and Malaysia, and present in small numbers in India, Bhutan, Cambodia, and Iran. It inhabits mostly the grasslands, shrublands and other plains (rather than hillsides) from the sea level up to 1,500m. Its generation length is about 16 years (BirdLife International 2018).

Conservation Status:

 

This species is listed as Critically Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (https://www.iucnredlist.org/).


According to the IUCN Red List Assessment, the population of this species is declining, with the current population estimate of 2,500-9,999 individuals. The threat to its persistence comes from habitat disturbance due to large scale agriculture and other human encroachments. Individual mortality drastically increased due to exposure to highly toxic NSAID diclofenac (which was used to treat domestic livestock) towards them (BirdLife International 2001).