Rapa Fruit-dove
CR

Rapa Fruit-dove

Ptilinopus huttoni

Declining

Photo: (c) olivier_esnault, nogle rettigheder forbeholdes (CC BY-NC)

Overview

The Rapa fruit dove is a species of bird in the family Columbidae, which includes pigeons and doves. It is endemic to the island of Rapa Iti in French Polynesia. The species was classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List in 2018 because of its small population and predicted continued decline.

The Rapa fruit dove primarily feeds on fleshy fruit. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and it has an extent of 30 square kilometres (12 sq mi). It is threatened by habitat loss due to deforestation and invasive species.

Effective land protection and management could increase the quality of habitat for the species. Additional research into population dynamics and the impact of threats to the species can give a better understanding of the conservation practices needed.

Ptilinopus huttoni faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat destruction from logging and agricultural expansion across its limited range in Fiji. Introduced predators, particularly cats and rats, pose significant threats to nesting birds and their eggs. The species' restricted distribution makes it extremely vulnerable to any environmental changes, with cyclones and extreme weather events potentially devastating the remaining small population.

Threat summary

Habitat

This fruit dove inhabits mature tropical rainforest canopies and forest edges in Fiji's mountainous regions. It shows preference for areas with abundant fruiting trees, particularly native figs and other forest fruits that comprise its primary diet.

Forest· majorMarine coastal/supratidal· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSpecies recoverySpecies reintroductionEx-situ conservation

Other threatened species in COLUMBIDAE

EN

Raiatea Fruit-dove

Ptilinopus chrysogaster

Declining
EN

Santa Cruz Ground Dove

Pampusana sanctaecrucis

Declining
EN

Purple Quail-Dove

Geotrygon purpurata

Declining
EN

White-fronted Quail-Dove

Geotrygon leucometopia

Declining

Threatened in French Polynesia

EN

Pocillopora zelli

Declining
VU

White-winged Petrel

Pterodroma leucoptera

Declining
VU

Black Petrel

Procellaria parkinsoni

Stable

Frequently asked questions

Why is Rapa Fruit-dove classified as Critically Endangered?
Rapa Fruit-dove is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Ptilinopus huttoni faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat destruction from logging and agricultural expansion across its limited range in Fiji. Introduced predators, particularly cats and rats, pose significant threats to nesting birds and their eggs. The species' restricted distribution makes it extremely vulnerable to any environmental changes, with cyclones and extreme weather events potentially devastating the remaining small population.
Where does Rapa Fruit-dove live?
Rapa Fruit-dove occurs in French Polynesia. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Rapa Fruit-dove?
The main threats to Rapa Fruit-dove are 2.3, 5.1, 8.1, and ai-1. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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