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

Justification of Red List category
This species has a small population, which is suspected to be in rapid decline due to habitat loss. The species therefore qualifies as Vulnerable. Given its tolerance of degraded habitats, if population declines are slower than feared, the species may be eligible for downlisting in the future.

Population justification
The population is estimated to number 2,500-9,999 mature individuals based on an assessment of known records, descriptions of abundance and range size. This is consistent with recorded population density estimates for congeners or close relatives with a similar body size, and the fact that only a proportion of the mapped range is likely to be occupied. This estimate is equivalent to 3,750-14,999 individuals, rounded here to 3,500-15,000 individuals.

Trend justification
The population is suspected to decline rapidly on the basis of continued habitat destruction. Given its apparent tolerance of severely degraded habitats (Baptista et al. 2020), the rate of population decline may prove to be lower than feared.

Leptotila ochraceiventris occurs in west Ecuador (Manabí, Los Ríos, Guayas, Chimborazo, El Oro and Loja) and north-west Peru (Tumbes, Piura and Lambayeque). The population is small, and it is common only at Campo Verde in Tumbes Reserved Zone (within the Northwest Peru Biosphere Reserve), north-west Peru (Parker et al. 1995, H. Lloyd in litt. 2007).

This inconspicuous dove inhabits tropical and subtropical forests, mainly at 500-1,800 m (with records at 80-200 m in Guayas [Baptista et al. 1997, Pople et al. 1997]), but also to sea-level and occasionally up to 2,625 m. It occurs in dry deciduous, wet lower montane, semi-deciduous cloud-forest, humid cloud-forest, evergreen moist forest and, prior to their destruction, moist forests of the río Guayas basin and Cordillera de Colonche. It is also found in heavily degraded forest, scrub and hedges, but it is unknown whether such habitats support viable populations (Baptista et al. 2020). Generally solitary or in pairs (Parker and Carr 1992), but sometimes in groups of 3-7 (Parker et al. 1995), it favours areas with a dense understorey of small trees and woody vines (Baptista et al. 1997). Inter-habitat, seasonal movements are apparently undertaken. Its ecology is virtually unknown.

Below 900 m, the rate of deforestation in west Ecuador, in 1958-1988, was 57% per decade, although in higher parts of the species's range, with a steeper terrain and harsher climate, the process has been slower, and a greater proportion of forest is extant (Dodson and Gentry 1991). Overgrazing degrades the forest understorey which is this species's habitat (Ridgely and Greenfield 2001). All pigeon species are hunted, but L. ochraceiventris is not specifically targeted (Jiggins et al. 1999).

Conservation Actions Underway
It occurs in several protected areas, including Tumbes Reserved Zone (which protects a large area and range of forest-types and presumably supports a viable population) (Dodson and Gentry 1991), Laquipampa Wildlife Refuge (J. Flanagan in litt. 2001, Angulo et al. 2012), Machalilla National Park (Guayas/Manabí), Manglares-Churute Ecological Reserve and Cerro Blanco Protection Forest (Guayas) (Parker and Carr 1992, Wege and Long 1995, Pople et al. 1997). The 776 km² partially forested Chongón-Colonche Protection Forest is the nucleus of a reforestation project (E. Horstmann in litt. 2000) and may support the species. A communal reserve is being established at Quebrada Limón (H. Lloyd in litt. 2007).

Conservation Actions Proposed
Assess seasonal reliance on particular forest-types. Control threats to habitat within protected areas. Expand protected areas to include adjacent forest remnants and connect such fragments. Map forest in the Cordillera Chongón-Colonche to identify sites for protection (E. Horstmann in litt. 2000). Assess impact of hunting.

23-25 cm. Small, ground-dwelling dove. Whitish-pink forehead, grading to rusty-pink on crown and iridescent purple on hind crown and upper mantle. Dark olive rest of upperparts, with some bronzy-green on mantle and wing-coverts. White throat, buff neck, vinaceous breast and rest of underparts largely whitish. Similar spp. Partially sympatric White-tipped Dove L. verreauxi is obviously larger. Voice Distinctive throaty rrroowww, repeated at ten-second intervals.

Text account compilers
Hermes, C.

Contributors
Benstead, P., Capper, D., Flanagan, J., Harding, M., Horstman, E., Isherwood, I., Lloyd, H., Sharpe, C.J., Stuart, T. & Symes, A.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Ochre-bellied Dove Leptotila ochraceiventris. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/ochre-bellied-dove-leptotila-ochraceiventris on 23/12/2024.
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 23/12/2024.