Bird Guide

White-capped Fruit Dove

Ptilinopus dupetithouarsii

Least ConcernEndemicFruitForestPlatform nestMedium · 99 g

About the White-capped Fruit Dove

The white-capped fruit dove, also called kuku locally, is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It was described by French naturalist and surgeon Adolphe-Simon Neboux in 1840. It is endemic to the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia. The name honours French admiral and botanist Abel Aubert du Petit-Thouars. Two subspecies exist on the islands, Ptilinopus d. dupetithouarsii and Ptilinopus d. viridior.

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

ID tip

The white-capped fruit dove is a colourful bird with greenish wings that are marked with blue patches. Their belly is yellow but presents a bright red and orange patch at the middle point of their body; the yellow colours seem to get more vibrant towards the underside of their tail. Their throat is yellow with the same kind of tints as their belly. As their name suggests, they have a lighter white crown that extends all the way to their beak. Voice: Typical vocalizations of dove with the presence of "coo" sounds that rise in pitch and then get lower pitched. They are described as "mournful" sounding. The white-capped fruit dove produces long and slow vocalizations at first that can accelerate and get shorter as the call goes on.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where the White-capped Fruit Dove lives

Regular range

When to see the White-capped Fruit Dove

Peak activity in May · a passage migrant species across most of its range

Easily confused with

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