Pied imperial pigeon

Last updated

Pied imperial pigeon
Ducula bicolor - Chinese Garden.jpg
Pied imperial pigeon in Singapore.
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Columbiformes
Family: Columbidae
Genus: Ducula
Species:
D. bicolor
Binomial name
Ducula bicolor
(Scopoli, 1786)

The pied imperial pigeon (Ducula bicolor) 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 (where it is locally known as camasu and balud-puti) [2] and the Bird's Head Peninsula in New Guinea. It is mainly found on small islands and in coastal regions. [3] It remains locally common, and is therefore considered to be of least concern by BirdLife International and IUCN. [1]

Contents

Taxonomy

Pied imperial pigeon at the National Aviary. Notice the lack of black spotting to the undertail coverts. Pied Imperial-pigeon Ducula bicolor National Aviary 1300px.jpg
Pied imperial pigeon at the National Aviary. Notice the lack of black spotting to the undertail coverts.
Pied imperial pigeon at the Kansas City Zoo and Aquarium. Note a lack of silver markings on the flight feathers. Pied-imperial-pigeon-kczoo.png
Pied imperial pigeon at the Kansas City Zoo and Aquarium. Note a lack of silver markings on the flight feathers.

Its taxonomy is confusing and remains unsettled. It has sometimes included the Torresian, yellowish and silver-tipped imperial pigeons as subspecies. [3] The widespread nominate subspecies of the pied imperial pigeon differs from all these by its plain white thighs and undertail coverts (though often with a dark spot at the very tip), and its narrowly dark-tipped bluish bill. For comparison, the other species' have black-spotted undertail coverts and thighs (spotting mainly near thighs in silver-tipped imperial pigeon), the bill of the Torresian imperial pigeon is greenish-yellow, and the bills of the yellowish and silver-tipped imperial pigeons are bluish at the base and yellowish at the tip. Furthermore, the yellowish imperial pigeon has a distinctive yellowish tinge to its plumage [3] (some pied imperial pigeons may also appear yellowish, but infrequently to the same extent), and the silver-tipped imperial pigeon has silvery-grey remiges. [4] However, the subspecies D. b. melanura of the Moluccas, which usually is considered a subspecies of the pied imperial pigeon, resembles the Torresian imperial pigeon in bill, thighs and undertail coverts, but has a significantly broader black tail-tip. [4] Consequently, some have suggested it should be placed under the Torresian imperial pigeon, while others have suggested it should be considered an entirely separate species, D. melanura [4] (for which the name black imperial pigeon has been used – an unfortunate choice, as only the tail has significantly more black than the other members of this group, and the name black imperial pigeon usually has been used for D. melanochroa ). [5] Yet others have considered melanura to be invalid, instead believing it only is a morph of D. b. bicolor, as both types can be found on some islands. [4]

Related Research Articles

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

The green imperial pigeon is a large forest pigeon. The large range extends from Nepal, southern India and Sri Lanka eastwards to southern China, Indonesia and the Philippines.

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

The pompadour green pigeon is a pigeon species complex. It is widespread in forests of southern and southeast Asia. Many authorities have split the pompadour green pigeon into multiple species, which are listed below:

<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 a 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">Christmas imperial pigeon</span> Species of bird

The Christmas imperial pigeon or Christmas Island imperial pigeon, also known as Black imperial pigeon, Dusky imperial pigeon, Wharton's imperial pigeon, or burong pergam, is a large imperial pigeon endemic to Christmas Island in the northeastern Indian Ocean. It has an overall grey-blue colouration, and juveniles are duller than adults. It makes a soft purring coo sound and a deeper whoo sound comparable to a cow mooing. It lays one glossy white egg per brood, and is possibly somewhat colonial.

<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 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">Silver-tipped imperial pigeon</span> Species of bird

The silver-tipped imperial pigeon, also known as the white imperial pigeon or white-tipped imperial pigeon, is a relatively large species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to forest, woodland and mangrove on Sulawesi and smaller nearby islands.

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

The black imperial pigeon, 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.

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

The Micronesian imperial pigeon, also known as the Micronesian pigeon, and Belochel is a species of bird in the family Columbidae (doves). It is found in Palau, the Caroline Islands, the Marshall Islands and Nauru. Its habitats include montane forests, secondary forests, forests on beaches, and mangroves. It is threatened by hunting and deforestation, and the IUCN has assessed it as a near-threatened species.

<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">Grey imperial pigeon</span> Species of bird

The grey imperial pigeon is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is found in the Sulu Archipelago, Miangas and Talaud Islands. It is a small island specialist where its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forests and plantations. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<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.

<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">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. The heads and underparts are whitish, while the wings, tails, and upperparts are black. Both sexes look alike. Juveniles are mainly sooty-grey in colour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pin-tailed green pigeon</span> Species of bird

The pin-tailed green pigeon or pin-tailed pigeon is a species of bird in the family Columbidae native to Southeast Asia.

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

The Sumatran green pigeon is a species of bird in the pigeon family, Columbidae. First described by the Dutch zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck in 1823, it is endemic to Indonesia, where it is found in Sumatra and western Java. It inhabits the canopy of dense hill and montane forest and has been recorded at elevations of 350 to 1,800 m on Sumatra and 600 to 3,000 m on Java. The Sumatran green pigeon is a relatively slender species with a long wedge-shaped tail and an adult length of 29.0–34.1 cm (11.4–13.4 in) in males and 27.7–29.0 cm (10.9–11.4 in) in females. Adult males have a dark green head and body, bright yellow lower belly and undertail-coverts, dark grey tail, and bluish-green unfeathered patches on the face. Adult females are duller and have no grey on the back of the neck, a fainter orange wash on the breast, and no orange markings on the crown or the bend of the wing.

References

  1. 1 2 BirdLife International (2020). "Ducula bicolor". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T22691799A181754396. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22691799A181754396.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. Kennedy, Robert (2000-09-21). A Guide to the Birds of the Philippines. OUP Oxford. ISBN   9780198546689.
  3. 1 2 3 Baptista, L. F., P. W. Trail, & H. M. Horblit (1997). Family Columbidae (Pigeons and Dovexs). pp. 60-243 in: del Hoya, J., A. Elliott, & J. Sargatal. eds. (1997). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 4. Sangrouse to Cuckoos. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN   84-87334-22-9
  4. 1 2 3 4 Coates, B. J., & K. D. Bishop (1997). A Guide to the Birds of Wallacea. Dove Publications Pty. Ltd. ISBN   0-9590257-3-1
  5. Gill, F., M. Wright, & D. Donsker (2009). IOC World Bird Names. Version 2.1. Accessed 03-07-2009