Torresian Imperial Pigeon
OccasionalGBIF 18.1·Dongniao Rarity Index8.59
Torresian Imperial Pigeon (Ducula spilorrhoa) 澳洲斑皇鸠，是鸽形目鸠鸽科皇鸠属的鸟类。体型较大的白羽斑点鸽，广泛分布在澳大利亚北部（包括西澳东北部、北领地北部和昆士兰东北部）、新几内亚、托雷斯海峡群岛以及周边岛屿。其显著的特征为白色主羽与黑色翼羽和尾端，常在森林、灌木丛、红树林和开阔地带觅食。
Torresian Imperial Pigeon
38-44 cm. Large tree-dwelling white pigeon with pale bill, slaty-black flight-feathers and lower tail; head may be soiled brownish by fruit. Singles, parties, large flocks: conspicuous in emergent trees. In ne. Q, in spring-summer, flocks commute daily from breeding islands to mainland rainforests to feed on fruit, returning at dusk. Flies with continuous beats of long, dark-tipped wings. Displaying males fly steeply up, stall, tip forward, glide down.
- Other name
- Pied Imperial-Pigeon or Nutmeg.
- Similar Species
- White-headed Pigeon: black back, wings, rump and tail. Banded Fruit-Dove.
- Voice
- deep 'mrrroooo!', starting with a 'cluck!'; also 'roo-ca-hoo'; low, moaning 'up-oooo'.
- Habitat
- rainforests; adjacent eucalypt woodland; coastal scrubs, creeks, rivers, mangroves; vegetated cays and islands.
- Breeding
- Aug.-Jan., in colony in mangroves, vines, palm fronds, mostly on well-vegetated offshore islands (some breed inland).
- Nest
- substantial, of mangrove shoots, sticks; on horizontal fork 1-5 m high.
- Eggs
- 1; large, white.
- Range & Status
- coastal n. Aust. and many islands, incl. Gt Barrier Reef, from Kimberley (WA) to near Broad Sound (Q). Kimberley population resident, non-migratory (Blakers et al, 1984). Population from Top End (NT) to e. Q migratory (Garnett, 1984), arriving from Indonesia-PNG in Aug., departing Feb.-April. Numbers once huge; slaughter at nest-colonies decimated populations in 19th century; slowly recovering with improved protection.
