Global estimates suggest only 100 to 500 Timor green pigeons remain in the wild, prompting researchers to recommend upgrading the species to critically endangered. Decades of field surveys across Timor-Leste and Indonesia reveal that habitat loss and hunting continue to threaten the dwindling bird population.
The Timor green pigeon is facing a steeper decline than previously recognized, with recent field data pointing toward a global population of just 100 to 500 birds, according to Mongabay reporting. Researchers drawing on more than 1,400 days of field surveys conducted between 2002 and 2025 recommend changing the species’ status on the IUCN Red List from endangered to critically endangered. The bird, known scientifically as Treron psittaceus, relies on lowland forests on Timor Island and nearby islands including Rote, Semau, Atauro, and Jaco.
Decades of Fieldwork Track the Pigeon’s Shrinking Range
The research behind the population assessment relied on extensive fieldwork across the region. Scientists spent more than 1,180 days in the field, walking nearly 4,000 kilometers—about 2,485 miles—to record bird calls and track sightings, Earth reported. Investigators also examined museum records dating back to the 1800s, filtering out past observations where observers may have mistaken similar species for the Timor green pigeon.
Historical records show a dramatic shift in where the species can be found. Before 2000, most recorded sightings originated in Indonesian West Timor. Following 2000, however, observations concentrated in Timor-Leste, particularly within the Lautem District. In West Timor, the pigeon has not been documented since 2005 despite ongoing survey efforts.
“I first visited Timor-Leste in 2002. On my second day working for BirdLife I got the bus to the village of Tutuala in the far eastern district of Lautem, then walked eight kilometers down the coast where I spotted the Timor green pigeon for the first time.”
Dr. Colin Trainor, Charles Darwin University
Dr. Trainor noted that while the bird was once straightforward to spot in healthy forest environments during his early visits, subsequent decades yielded virtually no encounters outside the Lautem District. Since 2004, when I had two records on Rote Island off West Timor, remarkably I have had no records outside Lautem District in Timor-Leste, leading to the conclusion that the species has become increasingly restricted to this well-forested district,
Dr. Trainor said.
Hunting Behavior and Vulnerability in Protected Areas
While forest conversion has reduced available habitat, researchers identify hunting as the primary driver of the pigeon’s decline. The birds are targeted for their meat and frequently gather at fruiting trees to feed. Their natural response to gunfire compounds the risk.
When one bird is shot, others often remain in the canopy instead of fleeing, allowing hunters to cull multiple individuals in a single encounter. Local conservationists point to deep cultural ties as a hurdle for protective measures.
“I was born in Lautem District and have been working here as a conservationist for many years. But so much has changed in that time. Ten years ago, you could hike to see the Timor green pigeon, but now it only lives in the most remote areas.”
Jafet Potenzo Lopes, co-author and local conservationist
Most remaining birds inhabit the Nino Konis Santana National Park, particularly along the Vero River Valley. Although more than 80 percent of known sightings occur within protected areas, researchers emphasize that these zones suffer from a lack of staff and funding adequate to enforce anti-hunting regulations.
Recent Encounters Offer Narrow Window for Recovery
Recent fieldwork underscores both the precariousness of the species and the potential for survival if targeted interventions are implemented. On April 20, 2026, during a Conservation International wetland survey along the south coast of Timor-Leste in Manatuto municipality, fieldworker Jafet Potenzo Lopes observed three Timor green pigeons in an area with no prior records of the species.
Despite such occasional sightings, the species was omitted from the initial 100 species selected for support by the Phoenix Species Project, a $200 million initiative backed by Re:wild and the Bezos Earth Fund. To prevent extinction, researchers recommend establishing a national action plan, conducting regular monitoring of the core population every three to five years, and engaging local communities and former hunters directly in conservation and survey work.
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