About the Pale-capped Pigeon
The pale-capped pigeon, also known as the purple wood pigeon, is a species of large pigeon that is found patchily distributed in parts of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It has a slow flight and spends a lot of time sitting still in the foliage of large fruiting trees, often in riverine forest on the plains. It is mainly brown above and chestnut below with the a sheen of green or amethyst. Males have a whitish grey cap while females have a brownish grey cap and less gloss on the feathers. They are frugivores, foraging in small groups in the canopy of trees but sometimes descending to the ground for seeds and fallen fruit.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
This large 36–40.5 cm-long pigeon is all-dark chestnut brown with a contrasting pale crown. The male has whitish-grey crown, purplish-maroon upperparts with faint green gloss on the neck; more strongly iridescent mantle and back; dark slate-coloured rump and uppertail-coverts; vinous-brown ear-coverts, throat and underparts[ slaty-grey undertail-coverts; and blackish tail and flight feathers. Females have a more brownish-grey crown.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Bangladesh.
When to see it
Peak activity in October · a variable species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Trocaz PigeonColumba trocazThe trocaz pigeon is a rather plain, dark grey bird 40–45 cm (15.7–17.7 in) long with a 68–74 cm (26.8–29.1 in) wingspan.
Yellow-eyed PigeonColumba eversmanniThe yellow-eyed pigeon is a medium-sized pigeon growing to a length of about 30 cm (12 in) and a weight of 183 to 234 g (6.5 to 8.3 oz).
Western Bronze-naped PigeonColumba iriditorquesA medium sized bird, the western bronze-naped pigeon measures about 25 centimetres (9.8 in) in length.
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