VU
Pink Pigeon Nesoenas mayeri



Taxonomy

Taxonomic note

Nesoenas picturata and N. mayeri (del Hoyo and Collar 2014) were previously lumped as N. picturata following Cheke (2005), and before that N. picturata and N. mayeri were present in the genus Streptopelia following Johnson et al. (2001), and before that were present in the genus Columba following Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993). 

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - D1

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2021 Vulnerable D1
2018 Vulnerable D1
2016 Endangered D
2013 Endangered B1ab(iii)
2012 Endangered B1ab(iii)
2008 Endangered B1a+b(iii)
2006 Endangered
2004 Endangered
2000 Endangered
1996 Critically Endangered
1994 Critically Endangered
1988 Threatened
Species attributes

Migratory status not a migrant Forest dependency high
Land-mass type Average mass -
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 320 km2 medium
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size 250-999 mature individuals good estimated 2020
Population trend stable good estimated -
Generation length 5.2 years - - -
Number of subpopulations 7 - - -
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation 1-89% - - -

Population justification: Jones et al. (2013) estimated the population to number 370-380 individuals in total. The species does undergo fluctuations, and over recent years the known wild population has ranged from c.325 to c.410 individuals, while the possible wild population has ranged from c.375 to c.490 individuals (N. Zuel in litt. 2017). The known population as of 2020 is estimated to be 308 individuals, while the possible population may be 488 individuals (S. Henshaw 2020, pers.comm.). It is tentatively assessed that the population size numbers >250 mature individuals, and so would fall in the range 250-999 mature individuals.

Trend justification: The population has been roughly stable since the early 2000s (C. Jones, V. Tatayah and N. Zuel in litt. 2017). The species does show population fluctuations, and it appears to be on one of the downward trends of these fluctuations currently. However, since exceeding 300 known individuals in the wild the population has never dipped below this figure with lows of c.308 individuals.


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
Mauritius extant native yes

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
Mauritius Black River Gorges National Park and surrounding areas
Mauritius Macchabé - Brise Fer forest
Mauritius Mauritius South-eastern Islets

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Artificial/Terrestrial Plantations suitable breeding
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland major resident
Altitude 0 - 800 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Threats & impact
Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & aquaculture Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Small-holder farming Timing Scope Severity Impact
Past, Unlikely to Return Majority (50-90%) Rapid Declines Past Impact
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use Logging & wood harvesting - Unintentional effects: (large scale) [harvest] Timing Scope Severity Impact
Past, Unlikely to Return Majority (50-90%) Rapid Declines Past Impact
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Climate change & severe weather Storms & flooding Timing Scope Severity Impact
Past, Likely to Return Majority (50-90%) Unknown Past Impact
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Felis catus Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Causing/Could cause fluctuations Medium Impact: 6
Stresses
Species mortality
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Herpestes auropunctatus Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Causing/Could cause fluctuations Medium Impact: 6
Stresses
Reduced reproductive success
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Macaca fascicularis Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Causing/Could cause fluctuations Medium Impact: 6
Stresses
Competition, Species mortality
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Named species Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Causing/Could cause fluctuations Medium Impact: 6
Stresses
Competition, Reduced reproductive success
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Nesoenas picturatus Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Negligible declines Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Reduced reproductive success
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Psidium cattleianum Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Declines Medium Impact: 6
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Unspecified species Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Causing/Could cause fluctuations Medium Impact: 6
Stresses
Competition, Species mortality
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Unspecified species Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Declines Medium Impact: 6
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Problematic species/disease of unknown origin - Unspecified species Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Low Impact: 4
Stresses
Species mortality
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Viral/prion-induced diseases - Herpes Virus Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Causing/Could cause fluctuations Medium Impact: 6
Stresses
Species mortality

Utilisation
Purpose Primary form used Life stage used Source Scale Level Timing
Food - human - - non-trivial recent
Pets/display animals, horticulture - - international non-trivial recent

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Nesoenas mayeri. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/pink-pigeon-nesoenas-mayeri on 19/03/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org on 19/03/2024.