Sultan's Cuckoo-Dove
Macropygia doreya
The Sultan's Cuckoo-Dove (Macropygia doreya) is a rare doves and pigeon found only in Indonesia. Sultan's cuckoo-dove is a dove in the genus Macropygia found in the northern Moluccas, Sulawesi to New Guinea and the western Papuan islands.
About the Sultan's Cuckoo-Dove
Sultan's cuckoo-dove is a dove in the genus Macropygia found in the northern Moluccas, Sulawesi to New Guinea and the western Papuan islands. It was one of three new species defined when the slender-billed cuckoo-dove was split up in 2016.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
They are typically about 35–37 centimetres (14–15 in) long. The males tend to have a slight rose/green colouration on their nape and neck. Many subspecies have whitish underparts, fine dark barring below and/or a whitish cap. The call of this dove is a very loud "whoop-a whoop" with some differences depending on the subspecies involved. Sultan's cuckoo-dove inhabits rainforest, woodland, scrubland and rainforest regrowth areas. The doves can often be seen in pairs or groups. Its diet consists of berries from both native plants and introduced weed species.
What the Sultan's Cuckoo-Dove sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: June, July, August, September, October, November, 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 Sultan's Cuckoo-Dove?
- They are typically about 35–37 centimetres (14–15 in) long. Full identification notes are on this page.
- Where can you see a Sultan's Cuckoo-Dove?
- The Sultan's Cuckoo-Dove is endemic to Indonesia, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What does a Sultan's Cuckoo-Dove sound like?
- You can listen to 2 field recordings of the Sultan's Cuckoo-Dove on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Sultan's Cuckoo-Dove?
- The Sultan's Cuckoo-Dove is most easily confused with the Philippine Cuckoo-Dove, the Amboyna Cuckoo-Dove and the Bar-tailed Cuckoo-Dove.
Learn the Sultan's Cuckoo-Dove for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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