Black Imperial Pigeon
Ducula melanochroa
The Black Imperial Pigeon (Ducula melanochroa) is a legendary doves and pigeon found only in Papua New Guinea, weighing about 665 g. The black imperial pigeon, also known as the Bismarck imperial pigeon, is a species of bird in the pigeon family, Columbidae.
About the Black Imperial Pigeon
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…
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
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. Voice: 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.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, June, July, August, September, October, December, with peak activity in July. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Black Imperial Pigeon?
- 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). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Black Imperial Pigeon?
- The Black Imperial Pigeon is a large sized bird weighing about 665 g.
- Where can you see a Black Imperial Pigeon?
- The Black Imperial Pigeon is endemic to Papua New Guinea, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What birds look similar to a Black Imperial Pigeon?
- The Black Imperial Pigeon is most easily confused with the Chestnut-bellied Imperial Pigeon, the Vanuatu Imperial Pigeon and the Nuku Hiva Imperial Pigeon.
- Is the Black Imperial Pigeon endangered?
- The Black Imperial Pigeon is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Black Imperial Pigeon for real
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