Plain Pigeon (Patagioenas inornata) - BirdLife species factsheet

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NT	Plain Pigeon Patagioenas inornata

2010 IUCN Red List Category (as evaluated by BirdLife International - the official Red List Authority for birds for IUCN): Near Threatened

Justification This species has a moderately small population, and may be declining in some areas owing to habitat loss and hunting. It therefore qualifies as Near Threatened.

Family/Sub-family Columbidae

Species name author (Vigors, 1827)

Taxonomic source(s) AOU checklist (1998 + supplements), Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993), Stotz et al. (1996)

Synonyms Columba inornata BirdLife International (2000), Columba inornata Collar et al. (1994), Columba inornata Collar and Andrew (1988), Columba inornata Stotz et al. (1996), Columba inornata Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993), Columba inornata BirdLife International (2004)

Identification 38-40 cm. Large, brownish pigeon. Pale grey-brown, reddish on wings and breast, narrow white fringes to wing-coverts, forming white bar in flight and white leading edge when perched. Similar spp. Scaly-naped Pigeon C. squamosa lacks reddish on wing and breast, and white in wing. Ring-tailed Pigeon C. caribaea has red eye and eye-ring, black tail-band and no white in wing. Voice Resonant whoo, wo-oo or oo-oo.

Population estimate	Population trend	Range estimate (breeding/resident)	Country endemic?
1,500 - 6,100	decreasing	50,200 km²	No

Range & population Patagioenas inornata was once abundant and widespread in the Caribbean, but has undergone considerable declines. In Cuba, it was widespread, but has now declined; it was thought to be now restricted to six areas: the Guanahacabibes (c.100 pairs, the largest population) and Zapata peninsulas, the sierras de Najasa and del Chorrillo, cayos Romano and Sabinal and the Esteros de Birama³, but has subsequently been found at another eleven localities¹³. In Jamaica, it was scarce as early as 1840², and is now rare and local. On Puerto Rico (to USA), it numbered less than 100 in the 1970s, but had increased to c.700 by 1996⁸ and recent information suggests that this population totalled 1497-6106 individuals during 1997-2001¹⁰. This population increase is attributed to increased food and nesting habitat availability following the recovery of second growth forests, resulting from the abandonment of marginally productive pasture and cropland as Puerto Rico gradually became industrialised from the 1940s onwards¹⁰. In the Dominican Republic, extensive searches in 1986 failed to find the species, and sites with records in the 1970s had been cleared. However, it has been recently described as locally common⁹, especially in the Sierra de Baoruco^4,5. In Haiti, there have been reports of birds in significant numbers, although numbers in Hispaniola overall are not reported to be increasing¹¹.

Important Bird Areas Click here to view map showing IBAs where species is recorded and triggers any of the IBA criteria.

Ecology: It is found mainly in lowland forest, mangrove and swampy areas in Cuba, highland pine and broadleaf forest, and occasionally coastal desert and mangroves in Hispaniola, and wet limestone forests in west, and drier woodlands in southern Jamaica². In Puerto Rico, it formerly occurred in primary lowland forests, but now mainly inhabits secondary growth, pasture and farmland¹. Breeding is during April-July in Cuba and Hispaniola, and year-round in Puerto Rico¹.

Threats Hunting, logging and clearance for plantation agriculture, combined with the devastating effects of hurricanes, have reduced populations¹. Few birds are shot in Jamaica and this does not appear to explain the species's current scarcity on the island². Nest predation may affect reproduction in key areas on Puerto Rico¹².

Conservation measures underway A recovery programme is underway in Puerto Rico⁷. Funding is being sought for conservation in Cockpit Country, Jamaica². It is legally protected in Cuba (but this is not enforced), and has been recorded from several protected areas, including the Guanahacabibes Biosphere Reserve, where it has been the subject of an education programme.

Conservation measures proposed Survey to assess numbers and distribution, especially in Cuba and Jamaica^2,6. Assess the impact of illegal hunting². Conserve the Cockpit Country, and southern dry limestone forests and woodlands, in Jamaica². Design and implement education programmes in Cuba to reduce hunting pressures⁶. Enforce habitat protection in the Sierra de Bahoruco National Park in Dominican Republic.

References Collar et al. (1992). 1. Baptista et al. (1997). 2. BirdLife Jamaica in litt. (1998). 3. A. Kirkconnell in litt. (1999). 4. G. M. Kirwan in litt. (1999). 5. S. Latta in litt. (1998). 6. A. Mitchell in litt. (1998). 7. Miyamoto et al. (1994). 8. Norton (1996). 9. Raffaele et al. (1998). 10. Rivera-Milán et al. (2003). 11. C. Rimmer in litt. (2005). 12. Rivera-Milán et al. (2003). 13. Sanchez et al. (2006).

Further web sources of information

Fully detailed species account from the Threatened birds of the Americas: the BirdLife International Red Data Book (BirdLife International 1992). Please note, taxonomic treatment and IUCN Red List category may have changed since publication.

Recuento detallado de la especie tomado del libro Aves Amenazadas de las Americas, Libro Rojo de BirdLife International (BirdLife International 1992). Nota: la taxonomoía y la categoría de la Lista Roja de la UICN pudo haber cambiado desde esta publicación.

Text account compilers Phil Benstead (BirdLife International), Matt Harding (BirdLife International), Isabel Isherwood (BirdLife International), Simon Mahood (BirdLife International), David Wege (BirdLife International)

Contributors Arturo Kirkconnell (Museo Nacional de Historia Natural), G. M. Kirwan, S. Latta, Andy Mitchell, Chris Rimmer (Vermont Institute of Natural Science), Ann Sutton

IUCN Red List evaluators Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Simon Mahood (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2010) Species factsheet: Patagioenas inornata. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 9/9/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

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