Cinnamon-bellied Imperial-Pigeon
Ducula basilica
A distinctive large pigeon with a pale pink head and neck, a deep cinnamon belly, dark greenish upperparts and tail, and a broad pale band at the tail tip. Singles to small groups inhabit forest and forest edge, including degraded forest and plantations. Perches high, but rarely in the open. Overlaps with Spectacled Imperial-Pigeon, but differs in its pink head, its lack of a bold eye-ring, its cinnamon belly, and its pale tail band. Gives a signature deep two-note growl, “ku-woooo,” with a curt, rising first note and a longer second note.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Ducula basilica
- Authority
- Bonaparte, 1854
- Order
- Columbiformes
- Family
- Columbidae
- Genus
- Ducula
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Bird Calls
Other Birds

Black-bellied Sunbird
Cinnyris nectarinioides
A slim, long-billed sunbird in which breeding males and females are very different. Breeding males are mostly dark iridescent green with a red band across the underparts. The red band is bordered by narrow yellow stripes in the southern part of the range. Females are plain, with gray-brown upperparts and pale underparts with dark streaking. Found in dry thorn savanna. Similar to Beautiful Sunbird, but breeding males are separated by the less extensive or absent yellow in their belly band, and females by being more streaked below. The common calls are quiet chips and “tip” notes, and the song is a high-pitched jumble typical of sunbirds.

Orange Dove
Ptilinopus victor
A spectacular and unique dove. Male is vivid orange with peculiar hair-like feathers and bright yellow wingtips. Head is duller brown than body. Female is mostly green with a yellow undertail and a brownish face. She resembles female Golden and Velvet Doves, but those species do not overlap in range. Unique voice sounds much like a dripping tap from a distance, but up close more like someone clicking their thumb and finger together: a regular “drip drip drip.”

Cook Islands Fruit-Dove
Ptilinopus rarotongensis
A colorful dove with a bright green body, a light gray neck and chest, a yellow undertail, and a gray tip to the tail. Most obvious features are the bright magenta forehead and chest blotch. Pacific Imperial-Pigeon is much larger, with an entirely silver neck and head and no magenta patches. Unlikely to be confused with any other species. Gives a long series of typical dove-like accelerating and shortening “coo” calls.
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