Justification This species is known from a very small number of locations and habitat fragmentation, loss and degradation are continuing within its very small range. The population is almost certainly very small, fragmented and declining. It is therefore classified as Endangered.

Family/Sub-family Columbidae

Species name author Bond & Meyer de Schauensee, 1943

Taxonomic source(s) SACC (2005 + updates), Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993), Stotz et al. (1996)

Identification 25 cm. Plump, buff-bellied terrestrial dove. Blue-grey crown to nape becoming dark brown on the rest of upperparts. White forehead and throat, with dark vinaceous-buff sides of neck and upper breast in sharp contrast to buff lower breast and abdomen. Slaty-brown tail with small white tips to outermost feathers. Cinnamon-rufous wing-coverts visible in flight. White eye with bare, bright red eye-ring. Black bill and pink legs. Similar spp. All other Colombian Leptotila spp. have whitish (not deep buff) bellies. In range, only confusable with White-tipped Dove L. verreauxi, which also differs in white crown and more extensive white tail tips. Voice Unknown but probably like other Leptotila spp.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

1,000-2,499

decreasing

970 km²

Yes

Range & population Leptotila conoveri occurs on the east slope of the Central Andes of Colombia. It is known only from the valleys of the Coello-Combeima river system, near Ibagué, Tolima, and two valleys in the headwaters of the río Magdalena, Huila. However, of the latter two valleys, there are no records from one since 1952. The small number of records suggests that its population is small. It is fairly common at one site in Tolima³.

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

Ecology: It occurs mainly in humid forest and bushy forest borders in the subtropical zone at 1,600-2,225 m, and possibly as high as 2,500 m. It has been found in secondary growth, with one record from a valley of coffee groves and secondary forest. Birds collected in Huila in March-April, and in Tolima in June, were in breeding condition.

Threats Parts of the upper Magdalena valley have been converted to agriculture since the 18th century⁴ but, when the type-series was collected in 1942, the higher valleys of the Toche area, Tolima, were heavily forested. Since the 1950s, much of the original habitat in these valleys has been cleared and used for agriculture, including coffee plantations, potatoes, beans and cattle-grazing^1,3. Mature secondary forest patches are now fragmented, and natural vegetation cover is judged to have been reduced to c.15% between 1,900 and 3,200 m^1,3.

Conservation measures underway It has not been recorded from any protected areas. However, an integrated conservation programme for the forests around the type-locality should benefit this and other threatened species in the area. Action for the Yellow-eared Parrot Ognorhynchus icterotis has increased public awareness and community involvement in conservation issues in the río Toche area, Tolima², which should also benefit L. conoveri.

Conservation measures proposed Evaluate forest cover in its range and follow-up with surveys of larger blocks to determine the current population and distribution¹. Investigate the ecological requirements of this species, especially the degree to which it tolerates modified habitats. Protect a stronghold area, if found¹.

References Collar et al. (1992). 1. López-Lanús et al. (in press). 2. Salaman et al. (1999b). 3. P. G. W. Salaman in litt. (1999). 4. Stiles et al. (1999).

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), Isabel Isherwood (BirdLife International), Tom Stuart (BirdLife International), Andy Symes (BirdLife International)

Contributors Paul G. W. Salaman (Fundación ProAves)

IUCN Red List evaluators Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Andy Symes (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Leptotila conoveri. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 9/2/2010

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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