Gallicolumba xanthonura

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	COLUMBIFORMES	COLUMBIDAE

Scientific Name:

Gallicolumba xanthonura

Species Authority:

(Temminck, 1823)

Common Name/s:

English

–

White-throated Ground-dove, White-throated Ground Dove, White-throated Ground-Dove

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Near Threatened ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Mahood, S., Butchart, S.

Contributor/s:

Wiles, G.

Justification:
This species is classified as Near Threatened because it is declining at a moderately rapid rate, owing to hunting and habitat destruction. If brown tree-snake Boiga irregularis were to be accidentally introduced to any of the islands in its range, the species may warrent uplisting to Vulnerable.

History:

2004

–

Near Threatened

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Gallicolumba xanthonura occurs widely in the Northern Mariana Islands (to USA) and on Yap in the Federated States of Micronesia. It has become extirpated from Guam (to USA) owing to predation by the introduced brown tree snake Boiga irregularis, and although single birds turn up once every few years, these are almost certainly individuals dispersing from the island of Rota, 60 km to the north⁵. The highest population is probably on Rota where c.2,400 birds were estimated in 1982². It is fairly common on Saipan where up to 72 birds/km² were recorded in limestone forest in 1991-1993¹. It is rare on Yap where the population was estimated at c.195 in 1984³.
Countries:	Native: Guam; Northern Mariana Islands
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is described as rare on Guam, uncommon in the Mariana islands north of Guam and uncommon on Yap (Gibbs et al. 2001).
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	The species inhabits native forest, secondary forest, plantations, introduced tangan-tangan Leucaena leucocephala thickets and habitat mosaics including fields, but appears more frequent in native forest than in disturbed habitats^1,2,3,4. In contrast to other Gallicolumba it is largely arboreal; it feeds in the forest canopy taking fruits, seeds and flowers.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The species can still be legally hunted in the Northern Mariana Islands⁵ and must be affected by habitat loss, but the greatest threat would come from the accidental introduction of B. irregularis to other islands in its range.

Major Threat(s):

The species can still be legally hunted in the Northern Mariana Islands⁵ and must be affected by habitat loss, but the greatest threat would come from the accidental introduction of B. irregularis to other islands in its range.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway None is known. Conservation Actions Proposed Monitor populations, particularly those in the Northern Marianas. Restrict hunting in the Northern Marianas. Set aside and protect areas of habitat which support good numbers of the species. Take measures, e.g. snake barriers around ports, to prevent the introduction of B. irregularis to islands which are currently snake-free.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
None is known.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Monitor populations, particularly those in the Northern Marianas. Restrict hunting in the Northern Marianas. Set aside and protect areas of habitat which support good numbers of the species. Take measures, e.g. snake barriers around ports, to prevent the introduction of B. irregularis to islands which are currently snake-free.

Bibliography [top]

	Craig, R. J. 1996. Seasonal population surveys and natural history of a Micronesian bird community. Wilson Bulletin 108: 246-267. Engbring, J.; Ramsey, F. L.; Wildman, V. J. 1982. Micronesian forest bird survey, 1982: Saipan, Tinian, Agiguan, and Rota. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Honolulu. Engbring, J.; Ramsey, F. L.; Wildman, V. J. 1990. Micronesian forest bird surveys, the Federated States: Pohnpei, Kosrae, Chuuk, and Yap. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Honolulu. Jenkins, J. M. 1983. The native forest birds of Guam. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.

Craig, R. J. 1996. Seasonal population surveys and natural history of a Micronesian bird community. Wilson Bulletin 108: 246-267.

Engbring, J.; Ramsey, F. L.; Wildman, V. J. 1982. Micronesian forest bird survey, 1982: Saipan, Tinian, Agiguan, and Rota. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Honolulu.

Engbring, J.; Ramsey, F. L.; Wildman, V. J. 1990. Micronesian forest bird surveys, the Federated States: Pohnpei, Kosrae, Chuuk, and Yap. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Honolulu.

Jenkins, J. M. 1983. The native forest birds of Guam. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2008. Gallicolumba xanthonura. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 May 2012.
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