LC
Malabar Parakeet Nicopsitta columboides



Taxonomy

Taxonomic note
Nicopsitta columboides (Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International 2020) was previously listed as Psittacula columboides (del Hoyo et al. 2014). Braun et al. (2019) report the situation where the parrot genera PsittinusTanygnathus and Mascarinus nest genetically within Psittacula, meaning that either Psittacula replaces these latter three genera or it breaks down into monophyletic genera of their own. The latter course is preferred, building on Braun et al. (2016), where several genera were established, including Nicopsitta for P. calthrapae and P. columboides.

Taxonomic source(s)
Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International. 2020. Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 5. Available at: https://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v5_Dec20.zip.

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

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2024 Least Concern
2016 Least Concern
2012 Least Concern
2009 Least Concern
2008 Least Concern
2004 Least Concern
2000 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1994 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1988 Lower Risk/Least Concern
Species attributes

Migratory status nomadic Forest dependency medium
Land-mass type Average mass -
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 276,000 km2
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size unknown - - -
Population trend decreasing - suspected -
Generation length 5.88 years - - -

Population justification: The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is reported to be common throughout the core of its range (del Hoyo et al. 1997). This species is considered to have a medium dependency on forest habitat, and tree cover is estimated to have declined by 3.7% within its mapped range over the past three generations (Global Forest Watch 2022, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein). Therefore, as a precautionary measure, it is tentatively suspected that this loss of cover may have led to a decline of between 1-19% in the species' population size over the same time frame.

Trend justification:   .


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

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
India Achankovil Forest Division
India Amarambalam Reserved Forest - Nilambur
India Amboli-Tilari Reserve Forest
India Anshi National Park
India Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary
India Bandipur National Park
India Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary
India Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary (including Molem)
India Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary
India Bhimgad Forests
India Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary
India Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary
India Camel’s Hump Mountains
India Carambolim Wetlands
India Chandoli National Park
India Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary
India Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary
India Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary
India Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary
India Eravikulam National Park
India Gudavi Bird Sanctuary
India Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park
India INS - Shivaji and adjoining areas, Lonavla
India Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve
India Karnala Bird Sanctuary
India Kemmangundi and Bababudan Hills
India Kemphole Reserve Forest
India Kudremukh National Park
India Kulahupuzha Reserved Forest
India Malayattur Reserve Forest
India Mankulam Forest Division
India Mathikettan Shola National Park
India Megamalai Mountains
India Melagiris
India Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and area
India Muthikulam-Siruvani Reserve Forest
India Nagarhole National Park
India Nelliyampathy (Nemmara Division)
India Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary
India Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary
India Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary
India Peechi - Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary
India Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary
India Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary
India Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary
India Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary
India Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary
India Silent Valley National Park
India Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary
India Srivilliputhur Wildlife Sanctuary
India Talakaveri Wildlife Sanctuary
India Thattekkad Wildlife Sanctuary
India Vazhachal Forest Division
India Wynaad Wildlife Sanctuary

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Artificial/Terrestrial Arable Land suitable resident
Artificial/Terrestrial Subtropical/Tropical Heavily Degraded Former Forest suitable resident
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland suitable resident
Shrubland Subtropical/Tropical Moist suitable resident
Altitude 0 - 2340 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Utilisation
Purpose Scale
Pets/display animals, horticulture international

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Malabar Parakeet Nicopsitta columboides. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/malabar-parakeet-nicopsitta-columboides on 19/12/2024.
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 19/12/2024.