Justification This species is listed as Near Threatened owing to its small population. It faces threats from habitat clearance and degradation and hunting, and if the population was found to be in decline it may qualify for a higher threat category.

Family/Sub-family Columbidae

Species name author Schlegel, 1866

Taxonomic source(s) Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993), Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

2,500-9,999

decreasing

-

No

Range & population Columba pollenii is endemic to the Comoro archipelago where it is found on all three islands of the Comoro Islands and on Mayotte (to France)¹. On Grand Comoro, it is moderately common on Mt Karthala and La Grille above 500 m, increasing in abundance up to the tree-line at 1,750 m ¹. On Moheli, it is limited to the island's main forested ridge¹. On Anjouan, it is uncommon and restricted to the few remaining areas of primary forest². On Mayotte, it remains in a number of widespread remnant pockets of suitable, wet, high-altitude forest and occurs in this habitat at a higher density than on the other islands⁵. Numbers on each island are low, and the total population may be under 10,000 individuals. It has been suggested that migration between islands must take place for there to be a continuingly viable population¹.

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

Ecology: It is largely restricted to primary forest. The species is usually found at high elevations, although on Maore it extends down to sea-level⁶. It feeds on fruit plucked from trees, but also appears to feed on the ground. The only nest documented was found five metres above the ground and contained a single egg⁶.

Threats Its habitat is diminishing as a result of charcoal production and shifting cultivation¹. The species is not found in plantations and gardens, suggesting that it does not adapt well to disturbed habitat⁶. Hunting is a threat on all four islands^3,4,5. Introduced predators are a potential threat⁶.

Conservation measures underway No action for this species is known.

Conservation measures proposed Monitor population trends. Protect habitat from clearance and degradation. Discourage hunting through environmental education.

References 1. Louette (1988). 2. Moorcroft (1996). 3. Safford (2001a). 4. Safford (2001b). 5. Stevens and Louette (1999). 6. del Hoyo et al. (1997).

Text account compilers Andrew O'Brien (BirdLife International), John Pilgrim (BirdLife International), Pete Robertson (BirdLife International), Joe Taylor (BirdLife International), Ben Warren (BirdLife International)

IUCN Red List evaluators Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Joe Taylor (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Columba pollenii. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 10/2/2010

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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