Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species has a very small population, within which all subpopulations may be extremely small, and which is inferred to be undergoing a moderately low continuing decline owing to the combined effects of habitat loss and degradation. It has therefore been classified as Endangered.
Population justification
This species’s population is estimated to number 1,000-2,499 individuals, thought to be roughly equivalent to 600-1,700 mature individuals, based on an assessment of known records, descriptions of abundance and its estimated range size (Donegan and Salaman 2012).
Trend justification
A rapid population decline is assumed owing to habitat loss and presumed hunting pressure. Forest loss has been low within the range (<2% over three generations; Tracewski et al. 2016); however, due to the combined impacts of habitat loss and hunting, overall rates of decline are thought to fall within the band of 1-19% over three generations.
Geotrygon purpurata is found in the Chocó region from north west Colombia south into north-west Ecuador. Throughout it is considered an uncommon or rare resident (Gibbs et al. 2001, Ridgely and Greenfield 2001, Restall et al. 2006, Donegan and Salaman 2012, Athanas and Greenfield 2016, del Hoyo et al. 2016). It is recorded from only three localities over recent decades in Colombia (Donegan and Salaman 2012).
This is an undergrowth and forest floor species of lowland and montane evergreen forests, and advanced secondary growth. It generally occurs between 600-1,100 m. It probably feeds on seeds and small invertebrates (del Hoyo et al. 1997, Donegan and Salaman 2012, del Hoyo et al. 2016).
Habitat destruction is taking place through the spread of coca production and gold prospecting, mining and the impacts of human settlement. Agricultural expansion, including oil-palm cultivation and cattle farming, as well as infrastructure development, is taking place in western Ecuador and Colombia (Donegan and Salaman 2012). Several historical localities for the species have been deforested (Donegan and Salaman 2012). It is also hunted for food (Sharpe 1999).
Conservation Actions Underway
No targeted actions are known for this species. During recent decades the species has been recorded from three protected areas in Ecuador and one protected area in Colombia. It is likely to occur in other protected areas, but some of these are threatened by encroachment (Donegan and Salaman 2012). The species is listed as Endangered at the national level in Ecuador (Freile et al. 2018).
Conservation Actions Proposed
Expand the protected area network to effectively protect IBAs. Effectively resource and manage existing and new protected areas, utilising emerging opportunities to finance protected area management with the joint aims of reducing carbon emissions and maximizing biodiversity conservation. Conservation on private lands, through expanding market pressures for sound land management and preventing forest clearance on lands unsuitable for agriculture, is also essential.
22-26 cm. Greyish dove with distinctive dorsal sapphire sheen. Royal blue mantle, sapphire rump, dark tail, brown wings with blackish tips. Greyish head with black chinstrap, with indigo crown. Underparts greyish. Voice A sustained series of soft hollow coos: whot, WHOO-OO-OIT, first note almost inaudible, second short, rising in pitch and broken into three syllables, the last being hard (Gibbs et al. 2011). Hints Tends to walk into denser cover rather than flying. Usually seen singly, or in well separated pairs.
Text account compilers
Hermes, C.
Contributors
Butchart, S., Ekstrom, J., Khwaja, N., Lees, A., Symes, A. & Taylor, J.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Purple Quail-Dove Geotrygon purpurata. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/purple-quail-dove-geotrygon-purpurata 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.