Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species has an extremely 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). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to 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 global population size has not been quantified, but the species is described as locally quite common. Races rostrata and aldabrana are virtually extinct owing to genetic swamping by introduced Columba picturata (Gibbs et al. 2001).
Trend justification
The population of the nominate race is suspected to be stable in Madagascar, but insular races are seriously threatened or have been eliminated by the introduction of the nominate race to the Seychelles, Cousin and Cousine (del Hoyo et al. 1997).
Nesoenas picturata has a native range encompassing Madagascar, the Seychelles and the Comoros (del Hoyo et al. 1997). The subspecies aldabrana, endemic to the Amirante Islands, Seychelles, is now extinct due to hybridisation with the introduced nominate subspecies (Skerrett and Disley 2011).
Text account compilers
Butchart, S., Ekstrom, J., Khwaja, N.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Madagascar Turtle-dove Nesoenas picturatus. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/madagascar-turtle-dove-nesoenas-picturatus on 23/11/2024.
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 23/11/2024.