Nilgiri Wood Pigeon

Columba elphinstonii

Least Concern · IUCN Red List

LCLeast ConcernEndemicFruitForestPlatform nestLarge · 379 g

What the Nilgiri Wood Pigeon sounds like

Sonogram of the Nilgiri Wood Pigeon: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Dipu Karuthedathu · Call · Kodaikanal, Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, India · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via xeno-canto

ID tip

This pigeon appears dark grey and a black and white patterned patch made of white tipped stiff feathers on the back of the neck is distinctive. The mantle is chestnut. The male has a paler grey crown while the female has a darker grey crown with a pale throat. The most confusable other species is the mountain imperial pigeon but that species has paler underwing coverts. The feet and the base of the bill are red.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Nilgiri Wood Pigeon

One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 8 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is February, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Nilgiri Wood Pigeon

Regular range

The map shades 1 country with regular records. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

About the Nilgiri Wood Pigeon

The Nilgiri wood pigeon is a large pigeon found in the moist deciduous forests and sholas of the Western Ghats in southwestern India. They are mainly frugivorous and forage in the canopy of dense hill forests. They are best identified in the field by their large size, dark colours and the distinctive checkerboard pattern on their nape.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Side by side: Hill Pigeon vs Nilgiri Wood Pigeon · Nilgiri Wood Pigeon vs Snow Pigeon · Nilgiri Wood Pigeon vs Speckled Wood Pigeon

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