Pied Cuckoo-Dove
Reinwardtoena browni
The Pied Cuckoo-Dove (Reinwardtoena browni) is a legendary doves and pigeon found only in Papua New Guinea, weighing about 304 g. The pied cuckoo-dove is a species of bird in the pigeon family, Columbidae.
About the Pied Cuckoo-Dove
The pied cuckoo-dove is a species of bird in the pigeon family, Columbidae. First described by English zoologist Philip Sclater in 1877, it is endemic to the Bismarck Archipelago, where it mainly inhabits lowland and hill forests at elevations of up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft). It is a large, distinctive pigeon, with a length of 40–46 cm (16–18 in) and a weight of 279–325 g (9.8–11.5 oz). Adults are mainly black and white. The heads and underparts are whitish, while the wings, tails, and upperparts are black. Both sexes look alike. Juveniles are mainly sooty-grey in colour.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The pied cuckoo-dove is a large and long-tailed pigeon, with a length of 40–46 cm (16–18 in) and a weight of 279–325 g (9.8–11.5 oz). The forehead and face are greyish-white, changing to silvery-grey towards the top of the head and hindneck. The neck is paler silvery-grey, darkest where it meets the upper back. The upper back, back, rump, tail, and wings are all blackish, with the wings and central tail feathers being a glossy blue-black. The rectrices are patterned with grey, and the outer three tail feathers have a somewhat indistinct grey band across the middle. Voice: The species's advertising call is a far-carrying series of notes; it starts with a short note, then has a long mournful note rising in pitch, and ends with two low-pitched notes, the second of which is the deepest in the call.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, June, July, August, September, October, December, with peak activity in August. It is a winter visitor species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Pied Cuckoo-Dove?
- The pied cuckoo-dove is a large and long-tailed pigeon, with a length of 40–46 cm (16–18 in) and a weight of 279–325 g (9.8–11.5 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Pied Cuckoo-Dove?
- The Pied Cuckoo-Dove is a large sized bird weighing about 304 g.
- Where can you see a Pied Cuckoo-Dove?
- The Pied Cuckoo-Dove is endemic to Papua New Guinea, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What birds look similar to a Pied Cuckoo-Dove?
- The Pied Cuckoo-Dove is most easily confused with the Crested Cuckoo-Dove and the Great Cuckoo-Dove.
- Is the Pied Cuckoo-Dove endangered?
- The Pied Cuckoo-Dove is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Pied Cuckoo-Dove for real
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