Collared imperial pigeon
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Ducula mullerii

The collared imperial pigeon (Ducula mullerii ) is a large pigeon native to New Guinea and adjacent islands.

Appearance

The species has an average body length of 40 cm and weighs about 600 g. It has grey upperparts and largely grey-pink underparts, and is distinguished by a striking and diagnostic complete black collar against an otherwise white throat.

Distribution

Geography

Continents
Biogeographical realms

The collared imperial pigeon occurs in northern and southern New Guinea and the Aru Islands. It has also been recorded from Boigu and Saibai islands. It may visit the northern Torres Strait islands as a vagrant.

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It inhabits lowland rainforest, swamp forest, mangroves and riverine vegetation.

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Habits and Lifestyle

Lifestyle
Seasonal behavior

Diet and Nutrition

The pigeon principally feeds on fruit from forest trees and insects. In the Port Moresby area, the main food during June/July was reported to be fruit of Tristiropsis canarioides which made up nearly half the diet. Some 30% of food volume were ylang-ylang (Cananga odorata ) fruit, the remainder being various Arecaceae (palm) fruits. Food is swallowed whole, and fruits thus eaten may have a diameter of up to 5 cm.

Mating Habits

The species lays a single egg on a flimsy platform nest in forest tree adjoining wetland.

Population

References

1. Collared imperial pigeon Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collared_imperial_pigeon
2. Collared imperial pigeon on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22691770/93324270

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