Justification of Red List category
Although this species may have a restricted range, it is not believed to 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 may be small, 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 population size has not been quantified, but the species has been described as abundant on Uki in the 1950s and common on Rennell (Baptista et al. 2019). Based on the area of the species’s mapped range (940 km2), the median recorded population density of other Ptilinopus species, and assuming that 13-45% of the range is occupied, the species’s population size is estimated to fall within the range 3,300 – 11,500 mature individuals. A recent analysis based on land cover data and a population density model estimated the population size at 5,931 mature individuals (Santini et al. 2019). Unless a population estimate based on survey data becomes available, the species is precautionarily placed in the band 3,300-11,500 mature individuals.
Trend justification
The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence of significant declines or substantial threats.
The species is endemic to the Solomon Islands, where it occurs on Uki, Three Sisters, Santa Ana, Santa Catalina, Bellona and Rennell islands (Baptista et al. 2019).
The species occupies lowland forest (including hurricane-damaged forest); however, on Uki island the species often visits isolated trees away from the main forested areas (Baptista et al. 2019). Large numbers may be found gathered in fruiting trees, where they feed on small fruits and berries (Baptista et al. 2019).
The species is threatened by forest loss, although this is not occurring at a significantly rapid rate to qualify the species as threatened. The species may also be affected by mining activity on Rennell island, however the extent of this threat has not been evaluated.
Conservation Actions Underway
No targeted conservation actions are known for this species.
Conservation Actions Proposed
Investigate the threats to the species, in particular the effects of mining activity on Rennell island. Investigate the population size of the species to obtain a more accurate estimate.
Text account compilers
Elliott, N., Butchart, S., Ekstrom, J.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Silver-capped Fruit-dove Ptilinopus richardsii. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/silver-capped-fruit-dove-ptilinopus-richardsii 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.