VU
Spotted Imperial-pigeon Ducula carola



Taxonomy

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - C2a(i)

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2022 Vulnerable C2a(i)
2016 Vulnerable A2cd+3cd+4cd
2012 Vulnerable A2cd+3cd+4cd
2008 Vulnerable A2c,d; A3c,d; A4c,d
2004 Vulnerable
2000 Vulnerable
1996 Vulnerable
1994 Vulnerable
1988 Near Threatened
Species attributes

Migratory status not a migrant Forest dependency high
Land-mass type shelf island
Average mass 289 g
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 603,000 km2 medium
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size 1200-3200, 2000-3200 mature individuals poor estimated 2022
Population trend decreasing poor inferred 2010-2029
Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) 10-19% - - -
Rate of change over the future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) 10-19% - - -
Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) 10-19% - - -
Generation length 6.17 years - - -
Number of subpopulations 3 - - -
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation 1-89% - - -

Population justification: Estimated the population size of this species is extremely difficult owing to the paucity of records, despite increasingly good coverage of its range. Contemporary records are from three main islands: Luzon, Mindoro and Mindanao, with no recent records from Sibuyan and Siquijor (eBird 2022). For a long time, thought to be extirpated on Mindoro (Collar et al. 1999) but recent records of up to 25 individuals suggest the island does continue to support a small viable population, although the area of suitable forest and the number of observations suggest it is unlikely to be more than c.200 mature individuals. On Luzon and Mindanao, there are many recent records but these are temporally variable and the species appears to move widely in search of food such that the total number of individuals is estimated to be small. Based on the number of birds sighted in any block of forest (eBird 2022), the number of mature individuals on each of Luzon and Mindanao is estimated at 500-1,500, although this requires confirmation by specific surveys.

Trend justification: Forest loss and hunting has caused this species to be extirpated from area it formerly occupied (e.g. Siquijor and Negros). Both of these threats are ongoing. Forest cover loss in this species' range in the three generations to 2022 totalled c.10% (Global Forest Watch 2022, based on data from Hansen et al. [2013] and methods disclosed therein) and this is likely to be the minimum population reduction because of additive hunting pressures. The ongoing rate of decline is therefore suspected to be 10-19% over three generations (c.18.5 years; Bird et al. 2020).


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

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
Philippines Agusan marsh
Philippines Angat watershed
Philippines Aurora Memorial National Park
Philippines Bislig
Philippines Cuernos de Negros
Philippines Kalbario-Patapat National Park
Philippines Lake Lanao
Philippines Lake Naujan
Philippines Mount Agtuuganon and Mount Pasian
Philippines Mount Apo
Philippines Mount Balatukan
Philippines Mount Bandila-an
Philippines Mount Busa-Kiamba
Philippines Mount Calavite
Philippines Mount Dapiak-Mount Paraya
Philippines Mount Guiting-guiting Natural Park
Philippines Mount Halcon
Philippines Mount Hitding
Philippines Mount Kampalili-Puting Bato
Philippines Mount Kanla-on Natural Park
Philippines Mount Kitanglad
Philippines Mount Malindang
Philippines Mount Matutum
Philippines Mount Pulag National Park
Philippines Mount Siburan
Philippines Mounts Irid-Angilo and Binuang
Philippines North Eastern Cagayan Protected Landscape and Seascape
Philippines Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park
Philippines Pasonanca watershed
Philippines PeƱablanca Protected Landscape and Seascape
Philippines Quezon National Park
Philippines Zambales mountains

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland major resident
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane major resident
Altitude 0 - 2400 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Threats & impact
Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & aquaculture Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Shifting agriculture Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Declines Medium Impact: 6
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Agriculture & aquaculture Wood & pulp plantations - Scale Unknown/Unrecorded Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Declines Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target) Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Declines Medium Impact: 6
Stresses
Species mortality
Biological resource use Logging & wood harvesting - Unintentional effects: (large scale) [harvest] Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Declines Medium Impact: 6
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use Logging & wood harvesting - Unintentional effects: (subsistence/small scale) [harvest] Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Declines Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation

Utilisation
Purpose Scale
Food - human subsistence, national

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Spotted Imperial-pigeon Ducula carola. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/spotted-imperial-pigeon-ducula-carola 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.