Partridge Pigeon
Geophaps smithii
Range and population
Geophaps smithii is endemic to
Australia
. The nominate subspecies disappeared from the
west, east and south parts of its distribution, mostly during the early 1900s.
It is now only found in half of its former range, in sub-coastal northern
Northern Territory
. The subpopulation is estimated at c.10,000
birds and is likely to be declining. Subspecies blaauwi is recorded from
remote areas of the west and north-west
Kimberley
region, northern
Western Australia
. However, there are few recent records,
including from Kalumburu where it was common in the 1970s. It may number c.5,000
birds and is also thought to be in decline. The major threat to the species is
the change from Aboriginal fire regimes which has resulted in a loss of spatial
diversity in vegetation structures. Although early fires burn some nests,
extensive, late, dry season fires that result if early burns are neglected
promote a uniform vegetation of tall annual sorghum. Most areas in which the
species persists are still under Aboriginal management or have a fire regime
that promotes a mosaic of vegetation ages. Traditional hunting, predation by
feral cats, and degradation of waterholes by cattle and pigs are now considered
insignificant causes of death
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