Black imperial pigeon

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Black imperial pigeon
Ducula melanochroa 50658986 (cropped).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Class: Aves
Order: Columbiformes
Family: Columbidae
Genus: Ducula
Species:
D. melanochroa
Binomial name
Ducula melanochroa
(Sclater, PL, 1878)
Synonyms [2]

The black imperial pigeon (Ducula melanochroa), also known as the Bismarck imperial pigeon, is a species of bird in the pigeon family, Columbidae. First described by English zoologist Philip Sclater in 1878, it is endemic to the Bismarck Archipelago, where it mainly inhabits rainforest and cloud forest in mountain areas above 500 m (1,600 ft). It is a large, heavily-built imperial pigeon, with a length of 38–43 cm (15–17 in) and a weight of 661–665 g (23.3–23.5 oz). Adults are almost entirely black, except for the dark chestnut undertail coverts, the silvery-grey underside of the tail, and a pale grey scaly pattern on the wings and back. Both sexes look alike. Juveniles differ from adults in having paler undertail coverts.

Contents

The species feeds on fruit in the canopy, usually alone or in small flocks of up to 20 birds, but in flocks of up to 40 birds on fig trees. The only known nest was found on a mossy tree in January and had a single white egg. The pigeon is generally common in mountainous regions and is listed as being of least concern on the IUCN Red List due to its sufficiently large range and lack of sufficient declines in its populations.

Taxonomy and systematics

The black imperial pigeon was originally described as Carpophaga melanochroa by the English zoologist Philip Sclater in 1878 based on specimens from the Duke of York Islands. [3] By 1925, it had been moved to its current genus, Ducula . [4] The generic name Ducula is from "dukul", the Nepali name for imperial pigeons. The specific name melanochroa is from the Ancient Greek word melanokhrōs, meaning black-skinned. [5] Black imperial pigeon is the official common name designated by the International Ornithologists' Union. [6] Other common names for the species include Bismarck imperial pigeon and silver-laced imperial pigeon. [7] [8]

The black imperial pigeon is one of over 40 species in the imperial pigeon genus Ducula in the pigeon family Columbidae. It has no subspecies. [6] It was previously placed in a species group with the Pinon's, Louisiade, and collared imperial pigeons. [8] These four species were further thought to be most closely related to a group formed by the barking, chestnut-bellied, Vanuatu and goliath imperial pigeons. [7] A 2017 study of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA found the black imperial pigeon to be most closely related to the Vanuatu imperial pigeon, and that these two species were part of a clade (group of all the descendants of a common ancestor) that also included the silver-tipped, pied, barking, chestnut-bellied, Vanuatu, goliath, Pinon's, and collared imperial pigeons. [9]

Description

The black imperial pigeon is a large, heavily-built, long-tailed species for its genus, with a length of 38–43 cm (15–17 in) and a weight of 661–665 g (23.3–23.5 oz). It is almost entirely slaty-black, with a slight gloss to the feathers of the upper back and the scapulars . The wing coverts and feathers of the back have silver or pale grey fringes that make a scaled pattern. The undertail coverts (feathers between the tail and belly) are dark chestnut. The tail is pale black above, while the underside of the tail is silvery-grey. The bill is slaty-grey with a black tip and the cere is mostly lacks feathers, giving the forehead a steeper appearance than related species such as Pinon's imperial pigeon. The iris is dark red and the feet are dark purplish-red. Both sexes look alike. Juveniles are similar to adults, but have paler chestnut on the undertail coverts. [7] [8] Moulting is known to take place in November, December, and January. [4] [10]

In flight, immature Nicobar pigeons may be confused with this species due to their all-black appearance, but the former have longer wings, a shorter tail, and an overall longer appearance, with a thinner neck. [7]

Vocalisations

The species is known to give three low-pitched booming notes, along with grunts and a hornbill-like arh. These vocalisations may be the same as calls described as deep hoots and "peculiar" grunts on Umboi. A very deep, monotonic mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm has also been reported from New Ireland. [7] [8]

Distribution and habitat

The black imperial pigeon is endemic to the Bismarck Archipelago, where it is found on the islands of Umboi, New Britain, Watom, Duke of York, and New Ireland. It prefers rainforests and cloud forests above altitudes of 500 m (1,600 ft) in hills and mountains, but is also known to inhabit forest edge, partially logged forests, and lowland forest. It is found at elevations of 150–1,850 m (490–6,070 ft) on New Britain, from 300–700 m (980–2,300 ft) on Umboi, and from 700–1,800 m (2,300–5,900 ft) on New Ireland. [7] [8]

On New Britain, its abundance in the lowlands varies seasonally, suggesting that it migrates altitudinally. [8] It is a vagrant on some small islands between New Ireland and New Britain, meaning that it may also migrate between the two islands. [7]

Behaviour and ecology

The black imperial pigeon is frugivorous and has been observed feeding on fruit with diameters between 15–35 mm (0.59–1.38 in) and wild figs. Foraging occurs in the canopy and is most often done alone or in small flocks of up to 20 birds, although flocks with as many as 40 birds may be seen on Ficus trees. It is known to form flocks with white-bibbed fruit doves while foraging. [7] [8]

The only known black imperial pigeon nest was found in January, at an elevation of 1,760 m (5,770 ft) on New Ireland, and had a diameter of 23 cm (9.1 in). It was made entirely out of twigs, with no material lining the surface, and was placed at a height of around 4 m (13 ft) between two branches on a mossy tree. It had a single white egg. [7] [8]

Status

The black imperial pigeon is listed as being of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on the IUCN Red List due to a sufficiently large range and lack of sufficient population decline. [11] It is thought to be common on New Britain, with an estimated population of more than 10,000 birds, and is generally common locally in mountainous regions. [8] [12] Although it has shown an ability to tolerate selective logging in forests on New Ireland, its population is thought to currently be declining due to habitat destruction. [11] [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pied imperial pigeon</span> Species of bird

The pied imperial pigeon is a relatively large, pied species of pigeon. It is found in forest, woodland, mangrove, plantations and scrub in Southeast Asia, ranging from Myanmar and Thailand, throughout Indonesia and east to the Philippines and the Bird's Head Peninsula in New Guinea. It is mainly found on small islands and in coastal regions. It remains locally common, and is therefore considered to be of least concern by BirdLife International and IUCN.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wallace's fruit dove</span> Species of pigeon endemic to Indonesia

Wallace's fruit dove is a species of bird in the pigeon family Columbidae. The name commemorates the British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace. It is a rather large, long-tailed fruit dove with a length of 24–28 cm (9.4–11.0 in) and has been described as "one of the most beautiful" fruit doves. The forehead and crown are dull crimson, the lower face and throat are white, and the rest of the head, breast, neck, and upper back are pale bluish-grey. The wings and lower back are green and the belly is orange, separated from the chest by a white band. Both sexes look similar, but females have less extensive red on the head and a greenish tinge to their grey parts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elegant imperial pigeon</span> Species of bird

The elegant imperial pigeon, also known as blue-tailed imperial-pigeon, is a large pigeon, with upperparts mainly dark blue-green in colour with an iridescent sheen. Head, neck and underparts are mostly pale grey, with red-brown undertail coverts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polynesian imperial pigeon</span> Species of bird

The Polynesian imperial pigeon or Society Islands pigeon is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to French Polynesia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Imperial pigeon</span> Genus of birds

Ducula is a genus of the pigeon family Columbidae, collectively known as imperial pigeons. They are large to very large pigeons with a heavy build and medium to long tails. They are arboreal, feed mainly on fruit and are closely related to the other genus of fruit-eating doves, Ptilinopus. Both genera display brightly coloured plumage, predominantly green, often with contrasting under-parts of purple, orange or red. Some Ducula have prominently swollen ceres. They have large gapes and swallow seeds whole, playing an important role in seed dispersal.

The Vanuatu imperial pigeon or Baker's imperial pigeon is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to Vanuatu and lives in forests. It is threatened by forest clearing, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed it as a vulnerable species.

The spotted imperial pigeon, also known as the grey-necked imperial pigeon, is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. Endemic to the Philippines, it lives in forests and forest edges but goes down to the limestone shorelines possibly to feed. It is a vulnerable species threatened by habitat loss and hunting.

The Rufescent Imperial Pigeon, also known as the Shining Imperial Pigeon, is a rare species in the world of birds. According to The International Union for Conservative, this species is relatively unknown, and their concern is very minimal. The Union describes that this species is very stable and does not encounter threats from other species The trait of stability is vital in differentiating The Rufescent Imperial Pigeon from the other species confronting threats. This bird in specific does not frequently encounter threats because they are more reserved, quiet birds that tend to remain alone in their habitat. The habitat of these birds allows them to have the frequency of being independent but also gives them the chance to be with other birds. Rooting from the bird family in Columbidae, that also consists of pigeons and doves. In which this family is known for being frugivorous, meaning it primarily feeds on fruit, figs, and seeds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-bellied imperial pigeon</span> Species of bird from Indonesia

The white-bellied imperial pigeon is a species of bird in the pigeon family Columbidae. First described by the French ornithologist Charles Lucien Bonaparte in 1854, it is endemic to Indonesia, where it is found on Sulawesi, Buton, Taliabu, Togian, and Peleng. It inhabits primary forest, dense secondary forest, and isolated areas of hill forest. A large pigeon with a long tail, it measures 42.5–51.5 cm (16.7–20.3 in) long and weighs 510 g (18 oz) on average. Males are mainly green, with pale-grey heads and bellies, chestnut vents, and a pale grey tail band, along with a red orbital ring. Females are nearly identical, but have darker grey areas in their plumage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goliath imperial pigeon</span> Species of bird

The goliath imperial pigeon, also known as the New Caledonian imperial pigeon and the notou, is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to New Caledonia. Its natural habitat is humid forests. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed it as a near-threatened species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barking imperial pigeon</span> Species of bird

The barking imperial pigeon, also known as Peale's imperial pigeon, is a species of bird in the pigeon family Columbidae. It is endemic to Fiji, where it occurs on most of the medium and large islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pacific imperial pigeon</span> Species of bird

The Pacific imperial pigeon, Pacific pigeon, Pacific fruit pigeon or lupe is a widespread pigeon species in the family Columbidae. It is found in American Samoa, the Cook Islands, the smaller islands of eastern Fiji, Kiribati, Niue, the smaller satellite islands of Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Wallis and Futuna Islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Island imperial pigeon</span> Species of bird

The island imperial pigeon or floury imperial pigeon is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is found in the Bismarck Archipelago and the Solomon Islands archipelago, living in primary and secondary forests and mangroves. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed it as a least-concern species.

The grey-headed imperial pigeon is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to Sulawesi in Indonesia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Torresian imperial pigeon</span> Species of bird

The Torresian imperial pigeon, also known as the nutmeg pigeon, white nutmeg pigeon, Australian pied imperial pigeon or Torres Strait pigeon, is a relatively large, pied species of pigeon. It is found in forest, woodland, savanna, mangrove and scrub in Australia, New Guinea, Aru Islands, islands in the Geelvink Bay, D'Entrecasteaux Islands and Louisiade Archipelago.

The yellowish imperial pigeon, also known as the yellow-tinted imperial pigeon or Bismarck imperial pigeon, is a relatively large species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to forest and woodland in the Bismarck Archipelago. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Papuan mountain pigeon</span> Species of bird native to New Guinea and eastern Indonesia

The Papuan mountain pigeon is a species of bird in the pigeon family, Columbidae. It is found in the Bacan Islands, New Guinea, the D'Entrecasteaux Islands, and the Bismarck Archipelago, where it inhabits primary forest, montane forest, and lowlands. It is a medium-sized species of pigeon, being 33–36 cm (13–14 in) long and weighing 259 g (9.1 oz) on average. Adult males have slate-grey upperparts, chestnut-maroon throats and bellies, whitish breasts, and a pale grey terminal tail band. The lores and orbital region are bright red. Females are similar, but have grayish breasts and grey edges to the throat feathers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountain pigeon</span> Genus of birds from Melanesia and Indonesia

Mountain pigeons are four species of birds in the genus Gymnophaps in the pigeon family Columbidae. They are found on islands in eastern Indonesia and Melanesia, where they inhabit hill and montane forest. Medium-sized pigeons with long tails and wings, they are 33–38.5 cm (13.0–15.2 in) long and weigh 259–385 g (9.1–13.6 oz). They mostly have dull grey, white, or chestnut-brown plumage, their most distinctive feature being bright red skin around the eyes. Males and females mostly look alike, but the Papuan and pale mountain pigeons show slight sexual dimorphism. Mountain pigeons are very social and are usually seen in flocks of 10–40 birds, although some species can form flocks of more than 100 individuals. They are generally quiet and do not make many vocalisations apart from a distinctive whooshing noise while leaving their high-altitude roosts to feed in the morning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pale mountain pigeon</span> Species of bird in the Solomon Islands

The pale mountain pigeon is a species of bird in the pigeon family Columbidae. It is endemic to the Solomon Islands archipelago, where it inhabits old-growth and secondary montane forest. It is a medium-size pigeon with an average length of 38 cm (15 in) and a weight of 310–385 g (10.9–13.6 oz). The head and neck are whitish-grey, the belly and lower breast are buffy-pink, and the vent and undertail coverts are pale grey. The upperparts are smoky-grey with darker fringes on the mantle and wing coverts. Both sexes look similar, but there can be large variation in individual appearance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pied cuckoo-dove</span> Species of bird

The pied cuckoo-dove is a species of bird in the pigeon family, Columbidae. First described by English zoologist Philip Sclater in 1877, it is endemic to the Bismarck Archipelago, where it mainly inhabits lowland and hill forests at elevations of up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft). It is a large, distinctive pigeon, with a length of 40–46 cm (16–18 in) and a weight of 279–325 g (9.8–11.5 oz). Adults are mainly black and white, with whitish heads and underparts, and black wings, tails, and upperparts. Both sexes look alike. Juveniles are mainly sooty-grey in colour.

References

  1. ↑ BirdLife International (2018). "Ducula melanochroa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T22691765A130180626. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22691765A130180626.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Mathews, Gregory M. (1927). A systematic list of the birds of the Australasian region. London: British Ornithologists' Union. p. 51. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.152920 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  3. ↑ Sclater, P. L. (1878). "On a third collection of birds made by the Rev. G. Brown, C.M.Z.S., in the Duke-of-York group of islands and its vicinity". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London . London: Academic Press. 46 (1): 672. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1878.tb08002.x. OCLC   1779524 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  4. 1 2 Hartert, Ernst (1925). "A collection of birds from New Ireland (Neu Mecklenburg)". Novitates Zoologicae . 32 (2): 117. ISSN   0950-7655 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  5. ↑ Jobling, James A. (2010). Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp. 141, 246. ISBN   978-1-4081-2501-4.
  6. 1 2 Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2023). "Pigeons". IOC World Bird List Version 13.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Gibbs, David; Barnes, Eustace; Cox, John (2001). Pigeons and Doves: A Guide to the Pigeons and Doves of the World. Pica Press. pp. 560–561. ISBN   978-1-8734-0360-0. OCLC   701718514.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Baptista, Luis F.; Trail, Pepper W.; Horblit, H.M.; Boesman, Peter F. D.; Garcia, Ernest (2020-03-04). Billerman, Shawn M.; Keeney, Brooke K.; Rodewald, Paul G.; Schulenberg, Thomas S. (eds.). "Bismarck Imperial-Pigeon (Ducula melanochroa)" . Birds of the World. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. doi:10.2173/bow.biipig1.01 . Retrieved 2023-10-22.
  9. ↑ Cibois, Alice; Thibault, Jean-Claude; Bonillo, Céline; Filardi, Christopher E.; Pasquet, Eric (2017). "Phylogeny and biogeography of the imperial pigeons (Aves: Columbidae) in the Pacific Ocean". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 110: 19–26. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2017.02.016.
  10. ↑ Hartert, Ernst (1926). "On the birds of the district of Talasea in New Britain". Novitates Zoologicae . 33: 124. doi: 10.5962/bhl.part.21145 . ISSN   0950-7655 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  11. 1 2 BirdLife International (2018). "Ducula melanochroa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T22691765A130180626. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22691765A130180626.en . Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  12. ↑ Buchanan, Graeme M.; Butchart, Stuart H.M.; Dutson, Guy; Pilgrim, John D.; Steininger, Marc K.; Bishop, K. David; Mayaux, Philippe (2008). "Using remote sensing to inform conservation status assessment: Estimates of recent deforestation rates on New Britain and the impacts upon endemic birds". Biological Conservation. 141 (1): 62. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2007.08.023.
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