Endemic to the hill forests of the Western Ghats, this species is listed as Vulnerable. Columba elphinstonii Nilgiri Wood Pigeon 27-5-2014 Paachgani, Maharashtra The typical black-white checkerboard pattern on the back of its neck is an eminent feature. ________________________________________ Following information is taken from birdlife.org: This pigeon qualifies as Vulnerable owing to its small, declining population; a consequence of the widespread destruction of its forest habitat. ...Historically, it was hunted for food and sport, which probably contributed to its decline. Currently, the loss, degradation and increasing fragmentation of forest are a greater concern. In Maharashtra, forest cover is declining because of shifting cultivation and collection of timber for fuel and building. A massive 47% of evergreen/semi-evergreen forest was lost in the Kerala portion of the Western Ghats between 1961 and 1988, principally as a result of conversion to plantations, cash-crops, and clearance for human settlements and development projects. This apparently continued with c.25% of forest cover lost within its range during the 20 years prior to 1997 (S. Somasundaram in litt.), and forest loss continues to date (L. Vijayan in litt. 2007). In certain portions of its range (e.g. Goa) hunting is still considered a threat.
Posted on: Sat, 07 Jun 2014 13:58:32 +0000
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