The critically endangered Timor green pigeon is rapidly disappearing from the wild with researchers warning that the species could face extinction within years unless urgent conservation action is taken.
A new long term study based on more than two decades of field research has revealed that only a few hundred birds may now remain across Timor Island and nearby islands in Southeast Asia. Scientists say the species has already become functionally extinct in parts of Indonesia leaving eastern Timor Leste as its final stronghold.
The Timor green pigeon is found only on Timor and a handful of nearby islands including Rote, Semau, Atauro and Jaco. The bird depends on lowland forests and does not migrate, making it especially vulnerable to habitat loss and hunting pressure.
Researchers spent over 1,180 days conducting field surveys between 2002 and 2025, covering nearly 4,000 kilometres across the region. The team also examined historical records and museum data dating back to the 19th century to understand how the bird’s range has changed over time.
According to the findings sightings of the species have sharply declined across Indonesian West Timor, where the bird has not been recorded since 2005 despite repeated surveys. Populations on smaller islands such as Rote and Semau have also collapsed, with only scattered sightings reported in recent years.
Most remaining individuals are now concentrated in Timor-Leste’s Lautem District, particularly within the forests of Nino Konis Santana National Park. However, even there, researchers say bird numbers continue to fall.
Scientists identified hunting as the primary threat driving the decline. The pigeons are commonly hunted for meat, especially near fruiting trees where the birds gather in groups. Researchers noted that the species’ behaviour makes it particularly vulnerable, as birds often remain nearby even after gunshots allowing hunters to kill several individuals at once.
Conservationists working in the region say the decline has accelerated over the past decade. Areas where the birds were once relatively easy to spot now show little or no evidence of surviving populations.
The study estimates that the global population may now range between just 100 and 500 individuals, far below previous estimates of around 2,000 birds.
Researchers say the species could soon become one of the first bird extinctions in the Wallacea biodiversity region unless immediate measures are introduced.
The team has called for stronger protection efforts in Timor-Leste, including regular monitoring, community engagement and collaboration with local hunters to reduce pressure on the remaining populations. Scientists believe involving local communities in conservation programmes could still help reverse the decline if action is taken quickly. The findings have been published in the journal Oryx.