Alternate names: Grey's Fruit Dove, Red-bellied Fruit-Dove
- Ptilinopus greyi
Identification
21-24 cm (8¼-9½)
- Male is generally green with greyer wash on head, neck and breast
- Fine black streaks on breast
- Yellow fringes on wings
- Clear purple forecrown with yellowish border
- Some purple on belly
- Orange-pink on vent and undertail-coverts
- Pale grey terminal band on undertail and yellow-grey on uppertail.
Female has darker upperparts and smaller purple belly-patch. Juvenile lacks purple patches, is uniform green with paler and yellower undertail-coverts and has yellow fringes to most feathers.
Similar species
Differs from Tanna Fruit Dove by purple and orange patches, greyer head, yellow fringes but not large spots, and smaller size. From Pacific Emerald Dove by green head and underparts, and habits.
Distribution
East Solomon Islands, Vanuatu to Santa Cruz, Banks, New Caledonia, Isle of Pines.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
Habitat
Subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
Behaviour
Diet
Frugivorous; takes a variety of fruit, including figs, Meliaceae, and the introduced Muntingia.
Breeding
The nest is an insubstantial structure of intertwined twigs placed on a horizontal fork in the outer branches of a small tree. A single elliptical white egg is laid and incubated by both parents.
Vocalisation
A series starting with two or three short or paired notes, running into an accelerating series of stuttered notes, decreasing in volume towards the end. Also single short notes.
Movements
Locally nomadic in response to alterations in food supply. Probably flies between islands.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2019. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2019. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- ID discussion
- Baptista, L.F., Trail, P.W., Horblit, H.M., Boesman, P. & Garcia, E.F.J. (2019). Red-bellied Fruit-dove (Ptilinopus greyi). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/54338 on 9 December 2019).
- BirdLife International 2016. Ptilinopus greyi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22691440A93312723. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22691440A93312723.en. Downloaded on 09 December 2019.
- Dutson, G. (2011) Birds of Melanesia, Christopher Helm, London.
- Gibbs D, Barnes E, Cox J (2010) Pigeons and Doves: A Guide to the Pigeons and Doves of the World. Christopher Helm, London.
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Red-bellied Fruit Dove. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 11 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Red-bellied_Fruit_Dove
