Torresian imperial pigeon

Last updated

Torresian imperial pigeon
Torresian imperial-pigeon (Ducula spilorrhoa) Darwin 2.jpg
George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Columbiformes
Family: Columbidae
Genus: Ducula
Species:
D. spilorrhoa
Binomial name
Ducula spilorrhoa
(Gray, 1858)

The Torresian imperial pigeon (Ducula spilorrhoa), also known as the nutmeg pigeon, white nutmeg pigeon, Australian pied imperial pigeon or Torres Strait pigeon (Meriam Mir: deumer [2] ), is a relatively large, pied species of pigeon. It is found in forest, woodland, savanna, mangrove and scrub in Australia (north-east Western Australia, north Northern Territory and north Queensland, including the Torres Strait Islands), New Guinea, Aru Islands, islands in the Geelvink Bay, D'Entrecasteaux Islands and Louisiade Archipelago. [3]

Contents

It has been recorded as a vagrant in New South Wales, Australia. As far as known, most populations are resident or only take part in minor local movements. The population in Queensland leaves for New Guinea in February–April and returns in July–August. [3]

Description

A Torresian imperial pigeon at Cairns Esplanade, north Queensland, Australia Torresian imperial pigeon cairns09.JPG
A Torresian imperial pigeon at Cairns Esplanade, north Queensland, Australia

The Torresian imperial pigeon is a large plump pigeon, 38-44 centimetres (15-17.5 inches) in length, [4] and with a 45 cm (18 in) wingspan. It is entirely white or pale cream, apart from the black flight feathers (remiges), part of the tail (rectrices) and spots on the undertail coverts. [4] The head can be brown, soiled by eating fruit.

Behaviour

The flight of the pigeon is fast and direct, with the regular beats and an occasional sharp flick of the wings which are characteristic of pigeons in general.

Breeding

The male displays by flying up steeply, pausing, tipping forward and then gliding downwards. The female builds an untidy stick nest in a tree, usually a coconut palm and lays a single white egg, which hatches within 26 to 28 days. [3] The squab fledges after another three weeks. In Australia they breed between August and January in mangroves, vines, palm fronds on off-shore islands, [3] such as the Brook Islands. In north-east Queensland, they migrate daily as flocks from the islands to the mainland rainforests to eat fruit, returning to the islands at dusk.

Feeding

This is an arboreal dove, feeding almost exclusively on fruit. [3] It can swallow fruits with very large seeds, the latter being regurgitated or excreted whole, depending on size, after the pulp has been removed.

Calls

Calls made by the birds are a deep "mrrrooooo", "roo-ca-hoo" and "up-ooooo".

Taxonomy

A Torresian imperial pigeon in Melbourne Zoo. Notice the greenish-yellow bill and the black spotting to the undertail coverts. Pied Imperial-pigeon - melbourne zoo.jpg
A Torresian imperial pigeon in Melbourne Zoo. Notice the greenish-yellow bill and the black spotting to the undertail coverts.

Its taxonomy is confusing and remains unsettled. It has sometimes been considered a subspecies of the pied imperial pigeon. [5] When recognized as a separate species, the number of subspecies of the Torresian imperial pigeon also remains unsettled. Many recognize two: The widespread D. s. spilorrhoa (nominate) and D. s. constans of the Kimberleys. However, the latter is sometimes considered a junior synonym of former. [3] Alternatively, it has been argued that it should be considered a separate species, the Kimberley imperial-pigeon (D. constansBruce, 1989). [6]

Two additional taxa, subflavescens of the Bismarck Archipelago and melanura of the Moluccas, have been associated with the Torresian imperial pigeon. The former has a distinctive yellowish-tinged plumage and a bluish basal half of the bill, and is increasingly treated as a separate species, the yellowish imperial pigeon (D. subflavescens). [7] Most recent authorities place melanura under the pied imperial pigeon, but it has black spotting to the undertail coverts and a greenish-yellow bill similar to the Torresian imperial pigeon. [8] However, melanura also has a significantly broader black tail-tip than the Torresian imperial pigeon. [8]

Status

In Queensland, Australia Ducula spilorrhoa -Wildlife Habitat, Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia-8a.jpg
In Queensland, Australia

The birds were once present in large colonies in Cairns, Australia. Edmund Banfield wrote in 1908 that in Dunk Island "fully 100,000 come and go evening and morning", with flying colonies as wide as two miles. It was described by Harold Frith in 1982, who stated these processions as "one of the great ornithological experiences of the tropics." However, the birds were subject to mass slaughter in the 19th and early 20th Centuries because they were thought of as pests or easy targets for recreational shooting. Populations dropped rapidly before conservation activists such as Margaret and Arthur Thorsborne led a campaign to protect them and monitor their numbers.

Anecdotal evidence from Weipa, Cape York Peninsula in 1979 was that many birds migrating from Papua New Guinea were shot and pickled as provisions for the merchant shipping fleets moving through the Torres Strait. The population of birds visiting Weipa in the 1980s was so low that the birds distinctive call was heard but sightings at that time were rare. The population in Weipa today is thriving as flocks feed voraciously twice daily on Carpentaria Palms in suburban back yards from August each year.

The population is now slowly increasing because of their protected status in Australia, where there are now an estimated 30,000. The species remains locally fairly common in parts of its range, and is therefore considered to be of least concern by BirdLife International and IUCN. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Admiralty Islands</span> Archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean

The Admiralty Islands are an archipelago group of 18 islands in the Bismarck Archipelago, to the north of New Guinea in the South Pacific Ocean. These are also sometimes called the Manus Islands, after the largest island.

<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">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">Bar-shouldered dove</span> Species of bird

The bar-shouldered dove is a species of long tailed dove native to Australia and Southern New Guinea. It is protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974. It is a medium-sized pigeon varying in size from 26–30 cm (10–12 in). Its voice is a distinctive and melodious "cook-a-wook" or "coolicoo".

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

The collared imperial pigeon is a large pigeon native to New Guinea and adjacent islands.

<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">Orange-bellied fruit dove</span> Species of bird

The orange-bellied fruit dove is a small pigeon with mainly green plumage, distinguished by a large orange patch on the lower breast and belly, a small lilac shoulder patch, pale yellow undertail coverts, and a grey terminal band on the tail.

<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 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">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">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">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 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.

Margaret Grace Thorsborne was an Australian naturalist, conservationist and environmental activist. She was notable for her efforts, with her husband Arthur Thorsborne, in initiating the long-term monitoring and protection of the Torresian imperial-pigeon on the Brook Islands, north east of Hinchinbrook Island, Far North Queensland. Toward the end of her life, she was involved in the struggle to protect Queensland’s Wet Tropics World Heritage Area and animals such as the southern cassowary, mahogany glider and dugong.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 BirdLife International (2016). "Ducula spilorrhoa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22733554A95060065. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22733554A95060065.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. "Mabo/Meriam Mir Words, Torres Strait Creole words".
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 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 Simpson, K. (editor) & N. Day (illustrator) (1994). Field Guide to the Birds of Australia. 2nd edition. Christopher Helm. ISBN   0-7136-3930-X
  5. Dickinson, E. C. (editor) (2003). The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. 3d edition. Christopher Helm. ISBN   0-7136-6536-X
  6. Monroe, B. L., & C. G. Sibley (1993). A World Checklist of Birds. Yale University Press. ISBN   0-300-05547-1
  7. Gill, F., M. Wright, & D. Donsker (2009). IOC World Bird Names. Version 2.1. Accessed 03-07-2009
  8. 1 2 Coates, B. J., & K. D. Bishop (1997). A Guide to the Birds of Wallacea. Dove Publications Pty. Ltd. ISBN   0-9590257-3-1