Alternatives names: Torresian Imperial-Pigeon
- Ducula spilorrhoa
Identification
38–44 cm (15-17¼ in)
- White overall plumage
- Creamy or greyish wash over head and neck
- Black outer wing and secondaries
- Central tail feathers with broad black band; outer tail feathers white.
Distribution
Coastal New Guinea and adjacent islands including Aru to northern and northeastern Australia
Taxonomy
This species formerly considered conspecific with Yellowish Imperial Pigeon and sometimes with Pied Imperial-Pigeon.
Subspecies
This is a monotypic species[1].
Habitat
Moist lowland forests, mangrove forests, and swamps.
Behaviour
Diet
They are frugivorous, eating a wide variety of fruits from trees, vines and shrubs.
Breeding
Nest is an untidy stick platform in a tree, usually a coconut palm. Clutch is a single white egg.
Vocalisation
Usually quiet. During breeing a soft low, descending “coooo”, sometimes a bisyllabic “coo-woooo."
Movements
The Australian Top End (NT) populations are migratory, arriving from New Guinea in August and departing by April.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2018. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2018. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Baptista, L.F., Trail, P.W., Horblit, H.M., Kirwan, G.M. & Garcia, E.F.J. (2019). Torresian Imperial-pigeon (Ducula spilorrhoa). 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/54399 on 1 November 2019).
- Dutson, G. (2011) Birds of Melanesia: The Bismarcks, Solomons, Vanuatu and New Caledonia. Christopher Helm, London.
- Gregory, P. (2017) Birds of New Guinea, Including Bismarck Archipelago and Boughainville. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Torresian Imperial Pigeon. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 2 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Torresian_Imperial_Pigeon
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
