Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This pigeon has a small, declining population and range, which are severely fragmented as a result of the destruction of hill and montane forest. It therefore qualifies as Vulnerable.
Population justification
The population is unlikely to number more than a few thousand individuals based on recent records and surveys. It is placed in the band 2,500-9,999 mature individuals here, equating to 3,750-14,999 individuals, rounded here to 3,500-15,000 individuals. Due to the seasonal migration of the species suggesting that individuals may not be segregated and could potentially mix, subpopulation structure remains uncertain (E. Goodale in litt. 2020).
Trend justification
This species's population trends have not been quantified, but it appears to have declined and become increasingly fragmented since the mid-20th century, becoming uncommon in the central mountains. Based on this information, the species is suspected to be suffering a moderate and on-going decline overall.
Columba torringtoniae is endemic to Sri Lanka, where it occurs in the mountains of the centre of the island and the adjacent foothills of the wet zone (BirdLife International 2001). During a survey in 2007-2009 across the wet and montane zones of the country, the species was detected 52 times, with 46 detections in montane areas alone, with the remaining 6 occurrences recorded across the Sinharaja forest (Goodale et al. 2014). Recent reports have further recorded the species in Gannoruwa Mountain Forest Reserve (Rathnayake et al. 2016).
It occurs in hill and montane forest, generally above c.900 m. The species does however partake in seasonal migration, where it may sometimes descend as low as 300-450 m in the lowland forests of the wet zone (E. Goodale in litt. 2020). It is arboreal and frugivorous, making movements in response to the availability of fruiting trees, and has frequently been recorded at fruiting trees outside forest. Nesting is from January-March and again from August-October, in tall forest trees.
The main threat is the extensive clearance and degradation of forests, particularly in the wet zone, through logging, fuelwood-collection, conversion to agriculture and tree plantations, gem mining, settlement and fire. Some protected forests continue to be degraded and suffer further fragmentation. It has also suffered reductions in food supply because of replacement of natural forests, containing fruiting trees, with monoculture plantations. Forest die-back in the montane region, perhaps a result of air pollution, is a potential threat.
Conservation Actions Underway
It is legally protected in Sri Lanka. A moratorium was passed in 1990 to protect wet zone forests from logging. It occurs in several national parks and forest reserves, most notably Sinharaja National Heritage Wilderness Area. A survey of the biodiversity of 200 forest sites was carried out from 1991-1996.
36 cm. Medium-sized, dark pigeon. Adult has slate-grey upperparts, wings and tail and lilac-grey head, neck and underparts with darker, purplish-grey breast. Black hindneck with white stippling and purplish gloss on mantle, sides of neck and breast. Similar spp. Green Imperial Pigeon Ducula aenea is larger, lacks black-and-white neck pattern, has metallic green upperparts and maroon undertail-coverts. Voice Mainly silent, but has a deep, owl-like hoo in courtship display.
Text account compilers
Fernando, E.
Contributors
Benstead, P., Bird, J., Crosby, M., Goodale, E., North, A., Peet, N. & Taylor, J.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Sri Lanka Woodpigeon Columba torringtoniae. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/sri-lanka-woodpigeon-columba-torringtoniae on 22/12/2024.
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 22/12/2024.