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 under 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 size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (under 10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be over 10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (over 30% decline over ten years or three generations). 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 very rare on Bougainville and the Bismarck islands and common on many Pacific islands. Race metallica is rare except on Timor where it is common (Gibbs et al. 2001). The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.
Trend justification
The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.
Columba vitiensis is distributed through the islands of Indomalaya, Australasia and Oceania. It occurs in the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia (to France), Fiji and Samoa (del Hoyo et al. 1997). The subspecies godmanae once occurred on Australia's Lord Howe Island, but it has been extinct since the mid-1800s (McAllan et al. 2004).
Text account compilers
Rutherford, C.A.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Metallic Pigeon Columba vitiensis. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/metallic-pigeon-columba-vitiensis 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.