• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

Justification of Red List category
This species has a large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km² combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over three generations). The population size is estimated at 50,000-100,000 mature individuals, thus 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). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Population justification
The population size is unlikely to be small. The species has a large range encompassing more than 18,000 km² of suitable habitat (per Global Forest Watch 2022). It is described as uncommon or common (Gibbs et al. 2001, Vetter 2009, Eaton et al. 2021); citizen science data (eBird 2022) show it to be the most frequently observed and most abundant Ptilinopus in its range, including in degraded habitat. This is congruent with data from Poulsen and Lambert (2000) which showed it to be very common on Halmahera. In the then Lolobata Wildlife Reserve (known now as Aketajawe Lolobata National Park), a population size of 8,700 individuals was estimated in an area of 1,060 km² (cited as 'Fuller undated', in Gibbs et al. 2001), although the method behind this is unclear. If this density (c.8.2 birds/km²) is applied to the entire range, the total population size would be estimated  at c.150,000 birds, or c.100,000 mature individuals. Recognising that the species may be most abundant in protected areas, this is considered the maximum population size, which is suspected here to number 50,000-99,999 mature individuals.

Trend justification
The species is suspected to be declining at a slow rate because of habitat loss that is ongoing through lowland forest in North Maluku and is projected to continue, and perhaps accelerate (see Voigt et al. 2021). In the three generations (11.4 years; Bird et al. 2020) to 2022, forest cover in its range was reduced by c.10% (Global Forest Watch 2022, based on data from Hansen et al. [2013] and methods disclosed therein) and this does not account for habitat degradation. However, this species remains very common even in degraded habitats, including second growth, mangroves and plantations (Gibbs et al. 2001, Baptista et al. 2020, Eaton et al. 2021, eBird 2022), making it among the most adaptable Ptilinopus on the islands. Consequently, the rate of forest cover reduction is thought to be the maximum reduction in population size. Over the past three generations, it is therefore thought to have declined by 1-9%, and this same rate is suspected in the future.

Ptilinopus monacha is restricted to the North Maluku, Indonesia, where it inhabits at least 13 islands (BirdLife International 2001, Eaton et al. 2021, eBird 2022).

It frequents lowland forest, typically up to 750 m, but to at least 1,100 m on Bacan (A. Berryman pers. obs.).

The species is threatened by habitat loss. Exploitation of economically valuable trees is now widespread and increasingly intensive (Hansen et al. 2013, Voigt et al. 2021, Global Forest Watch 2022). In addition, habitat is under pressure from increased settlement and transmigration, conversion to agriculture, plantations (typically of coconuts and clove), irrigation schemes, fuelwood-collection and mineral extraction, especially nickel.

Conservation Actions Underway
None targeted action is known. It occurs in both protected areas in North Maluku: Aketajawe Lolobata National Park (Halmahera) and Buku Sibela (Bacan).

Conservation Actions Proposed
Protect areas of lowland forest for this and more threatened Moluccan species. Continue to use remote sensing techniques to monitor habitat loss and degradation.

Text account compilers
Berryman, A.

Contributors
Benstead, P., Berryman, A., Collar, N., Mahood, S., Taylor, J. & Tobias, J.

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Blue-capped Fruit-dove Ptilinopus monacha. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/blue-capped-fruit-dove-ptilinopus-monacha on 22/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 22/12/2024.