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ForestPlatform nestLarge · 665 g
ID tip
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.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
When to see the Black Imperial Pigeon
One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 7 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is July, the month with the most records.
Where to see the Black Imperial Pigeon
The map shades 1 country with regular records. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.
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.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Easily confused with
Vanuatu Imperial PigeonDucula bakeriThe Vanuatu imperial pigeon is about 40 cm (16 in) long.
Nuku Hiva Imperial PigeonDucula galeataThis is the largest pigeon outside of the crowned pigeons, as it weighs approximately 900 g (2.0 lb).
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