Pied Imperial Pigeon by Cheryl Crowley

Pigeon, Pied Imperial

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Description

The Pied Imperial Pigeon is a relatively large black and white pigeon. The word pied means that the animal has white spots (lack of color) on a black background. Its body feathers are white; the wing coverts (tips) and tail are black. The head has a yellowish tint. The beak is bluish and the eyes are brown. Because they travel relatively long distances, their flight muscles are larger and stronger than many other birds of a similar size. Like cockatoos, the Pied Imperial has powder down (instead of oil) to maintain feathers. They rain bathe by lifting wings alternately.

Classification

Class
Aves
Order
Columbiformes
Family
Columbidae
Genus
Ducula
Species
D. bicolor
Conservation Status
Least Concern

Key Facts

Body Length
38 cm (15 in)
Wingspan
51 cm (20 in)

Social Life
Pied Imperial’s travel from island to island at dawn and dusk in large flocks. They vocalize with cooing sounds.

Habitat and Range
Pied Imperial Pigeons are native to the forested areas of Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Myanmar, New Guinea, Indonesia and the Philippines. These pigeons are found in densely wooded areas, scrub, mangrove swamps and plantations. They are locally abundant, so considered Least Vulnerable.

Diet
Pied Imperial Pigeons are frugivores. They eat fruits and berries, including nutmeg and wild fig. They can eat very large fruits with big seeds. The fruit pulp is removed in the crop* and the seed is ejected or passes through the digestive system.

Lifespan
About 20 years in human care and unknown in the wild.

Predators
Vulnerable to habitat loss; few predators due to habit of living about 200 feet up in trees.

Reproduction
The female lays a single white egg in a messy stick nest high in a tree sometime between January and March. The chick (called a squab) hatches after about 25 days. It fledges after about 3 weeks. Both parents care for the chick and feed it crop milk. (See fun facts)

Information

Description

The Pied Imperial Pigeon is a relatively large black and white pigeon. The word pied means that the animal has white spots (lack of color) on a black background. Its body feathers are white; the wing coverts (tips) and tail are black. The head has a yellowish tint. The beak is bluish and the eyes are brown. Because they travel relatively long distances, their flight muscles are larger and stronger than many other birds of a similar size. Like cockatoos, the Pied Imperial has powder down (instead of oil) to maintain feathers. They rain bathe by lifting wings alternately.

Classification

Class
Aves
Order
Columbiformes
Family
Columbidae
Genus
Ducula
Species
D. bicolor
Conservation Status
Least Concern

Key Facts

Body Length
38 cm (15 in)
Wingspan
51 cm (20 in)

Social Life
Pied Imperial’s travel from island to island at dawn and dusk in large flocks. They vocalize with cooing sounds.

Habitat and Range
Pied Imperial Pigeons are native to the forested areas of Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Myanmar, New Guinea, Indonesia and the Philippines. These pigeons are found in densely wooded areas, scrub, mangrove swamps and plantations. They are locally abundant, so considered Least Vulnerable.

Diet
Pied Imperial Pigeons are frugivores. They eat fruits and berries, including nutmeg and wild fig. They can eat very large fruits with big seeds. The fruit pulp is removed in the crop* and the seed is ejected or passes through the digestive system.

Lifespan
About 20 years in human care and unknown in the wild.

Predators
Vulnerable to habitat loss; few predators due to habit of living about 200 feet up in trees.

Reproduction
The female lays a single white egg in a messy stick nest high in a tree sometime between January and March. The chick (called a squab) hatches after about 25 days. It fledges after about 3 weeks. Both parents care for the chick and feed it crop milk. (See fun facts)