Black imperial pigeon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Black imperial pigeon |
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| Conservation status | |
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Ducula
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| Species: |
melanochroa
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The black imperial pigeon (Ducula melanochroa) is a large bird from the pigeon family. It is also known as the Bismarck imperial pigeon. This bird was first described by an English zoologist named Philip Sclater in 1878.
You can only find this pigeon in the Bismarck Archipelago, a group of islands. It mostly lives in rainforests and cloud forests high up in the mountains. These areas are usually above 500 meters (about 1,640 feet).
The black imperial pigeon is a big, strong bird. It grows to be about 38–43 centimeters (15–17 inches) long. It weighs around 661–665 grams (about 1.5 pounds). Adult pigeons are almost completely black. They have dark reddish-brown feathers under their tail. The underside of their tail is silvery-grey. Their wings and back have a cool, scaly pattern in pale grey. Both male and female pigeons look the same. Young pigeons have lighter reddish-brown feathers under their tail.
These pigeons eat fruit from the tops of trees. They usually feed alone or in small groups of up to 20 birds. But if they find a fig tree, you might see up to 40 of them together! Only one nest has ever been found. It was on a mossy tree in January and held a single white egg. This pigeon is common in mountain areas. It is listed as a "least concern" species. This means its population is stable and not in danger.
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About the Black Imperial Pigeon
The black imperial pigeon was first named Carpophaga melanochroa in 1878. This name was given by the English zoologist Philip Sclater. He studied birds from the Duke of York Islands. By 1925, the bird was moved to its current group, called Ducula.
The name Ducula comes from "dukul". This is the Nepali name for imperial pigeons. The second part of its scientific name, melanochroa, comes from an old Greek word. It means "black-skinned". The official common name for this bird is the black imperial pigeon. Other names include Bismarck imperial pigeon.
The black imperial pigeon is one of more than 40 species in the Ducula group. All these birds belong to the pigeon family, Columbidae. This pigeon does not have any subspecies. This means there are no different types of black imperial pigeons.
Scientists used to think it was closely related to other imperial pigeons. These included the Pinon's, Louisiade, and Collared imperial pigeons. More recent studies using DNA have shown something new. The black imperial pigeon is most closely related to the Vanuatu imperial pigeon.
What Does It Look Like?
The black imperial pigeon is a large bird with a long tail. It is about 38–43 centimeters (15–17 inches) long. It weighs around 661–665 grams (about 1.5 pounds). Most of its body is a dark, slaty-black color. The feathers on its upper back have a slight shine.
Its wing feathers and back feathers have silver or pale grey edges. This creates a cool, scaled pattern. The feathers under its tail are a dark reddish-brown. The top of its tail is pale black. The underside of its tail is silvery-grey.
The pigeon's beak is slaty-grey with a black tip. The area above its beak, called the cere, has few feathers. This makes its forehead look steeper. Its eyes are dark red. Its feet are a dark purplish-red.
Both male and female black imperial pigeons look the same. Young pigeons are similar to adults. However, the reddish-brown feathers under their tail are lighter. These pigeons are known to shed their old feathers and grow new ones in November, December, and January.
When flying, young Nicobar pigeons might look similar. This is because they are also all black. But Nicobar pigeons have longer wings and a shorter tail. They also look longer overall, with a thinner neck.
What Sounds Does It Make?
The black imperial pigeon makes three low, booming sounds. It also makes grunting noises. Some people describe a sound like a hornbill saying arh. On the island of Umboi, people have heard deep hoots and "peculiar" grunts. A very deep, long mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm sound has also been heard on New Ireland.
Where Does It Live?
The black imperial pigeon lives only in the Bismarck Archipelago. You can find it on islands like Umboi, New Britain, Watom, Duke of York, and New Ireland.
It prefers to live in rainforests and cloud forests. These are usually in hills and mountains above 500 meters (about 1,640 feet). But it can also be found at the edges of forests. It lives in forests that have been partly cut down. It can also live in forests in lower areas.
On New Britain, you might see more of these pigeons in lower areas at certain times of the year. This suggests they might move up and down the mountains depending on the season. They are sometimes seen on small islands between New Ireland and New Britain. This means they might also fly between these two larger islands.
How Does It Live?
The black imperial pigeon loves to eat fruit. This means it is frugivorous. It has been seen eating fruits that are between 15–35 millimeters (0.6–1.4 inches) wide. It also eats wild figs.
These pigeons usually look for food in the very tops of trees. They often feed alone. Sometimes, they are in small groups of up to 20 birds. But if there are many Ficus (fig) trees, you might see groups of up to 40 pigeons. They have been seen feeding with white-bibbed fruit doves.
Only one nest of a black imperial pigeon has ever been found. It was discovered in January on New Ireland. The nest was about 1,760 meters (5,774 feet) high in the mountains. It was about 23 centimeters (9 inches) wide. The nest was made entirely of twigs. It had no soft lining inside. It was placed about 4 meters (13 feet) high between two branches of a mossy tree. The nest held just one white egg.
Is It in Danger?
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the black imperial pigeon as a "least concern" species. This means it is not currently in danger. This is because it lives in a large area. Also, its population is not declining quickly enough to be a concern.
It is thought to be common on New Britain. There are likely more than 10,000 birds there. It is generally common in mountain regions. Even though it can live in forests that have been partly cut down, its population might be slowly decreasing. This is due to habitat destruction, which means its forest homes are being lost.
