This endemic subspecies is the only live pigeon present in the laurel forest habitat of the Azores Islands.

However, the species is in danger of disappearing, like the related Madeiran wood pigeon (Columba palumbus maderensis).

Azores wood pigeons play an important ecological role; they are the only birds in the area capable of eating the larger native drupes, a laurel forest species, and disperse the seeds.

The major cause of its population decline was habitat loss from forest clearance, but hunting and nest predation by introduced species like rats, were also contributory factors.

Any intrusion of humans or animals such as dogs and cats can cause great concern in the nesting population.

The black rat is a species that climbs trees in search of food and assaults birds' nests causing, at least, the abandonment of eggs and ruination of the breeding season.

The breeding area is found only near bodies of fresh water with dense tree cover, where couples can nest.

Two Macaronesian endemic pigeons, Bolle's and trocaz, are thought to be derived from isolated island populations of C. palumbus.

[4] The Atlantic archipelagos of the Canary Islands, Azores, and Madeira have a volcanic origin and have never been part of a continent.

Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences suggest that the ancestor of Bolle's pigeon may have arrived in the Canary Islands about 5 mya.

An older lineage gave rise to another Canarian endemic, the laurel pigeon, C. junoniae, may date from 20 mya.