Knob-billed Fruit-Dove
Ptilinopus insolitus
A unique fruit dove with a diagnostic combination of a large red knob above the bill, a large orange belly patch, and gray shoulder spots. Restricted to lowland forest, particularly secondary and degraded forest patches, where it often perches in the open but is deceptively well camouflaged. Could potentially be mistaken for Red-knobbed Imperial-Pigeon, but is much smaller, with a bright green body. Voice is little known, but sometimes gives a drawn-out, four-noted “whooOOoo-hu-ooo-huu.”
Taxonomy
The knob-billed fruit dove was originally described as Ptilopus insolitus by Hermann Schlegel in 1863 on the basis of specimens from New Ireland. The name of the genus was later emended to Ptilinopus. The generic name Ptilinopus is derived from the Ancient Greek words πτιλον (ptilon), meaning feather, and πους (pous), meaning foot. The specific name insolitus is from the Latin word insolitus, meaning strange. Knob-billed fruit dove is the official common name designated by the International Ornithologists' Union. Other common names for the species include red-knobbed fruit dove and Schlegel's fruit-dove.<p>The knob-billed fruit dove is closely related to the orange-bellied fruit dove, and these two species are thought to form a species group with the grey-headed and carunculated fruit doves. This group may also include the black-naped and dwarf fruit doves.<p>There are two recognised subspecies of the knob-billed fruit dove. Variation between subspecies may be clinal.
- Scientific name
- Ptilinopus insolitus
- Authority
- Schlegel, 1863
- Order
- Columbiformes
- Family
- Columbidae
- Genus
- Ptilinopus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Elliot's Pheasant
Syrmaticus ellioti
Pale and stocky-looking pheasant of hill forests with dense undergrowth; generally scarce due to poaching throughout its range. Male is unmistakable: mostly brown above with a white belly, silvery head, bright red face, and a long pale gray tail with thick russet bands. Female is smaller and shorter-tailed with a faded version of the male’s patterning. Can be quite tame in areas where are protected and fed by rural communities.
Timor Green-Pigeon
Treron psittaceus
Fruit-loving, forest-dwelling pigeon with the coloration of a green mango. Gathers in flocks in fruiting trees and races by overhead in fast, direct flight. Note darker-centered feathers under the tail and bright yellowish linings on the wing feathers. Black-and-white outer tail edges are often exposed in flight. The only green-pigeon on Timor; all-green plumage readily separates this species from imperial-pigeons and fruit-doves. Very rare or extirpated in Indonesian West Timor, and declining in East Timor due to hunting and habitat loss. Gives oddly creaky rising coo: “aw-woo-wUUOO.”
Elfin-woods Warbler
Setophaga angelae
A medium-sized warbler of moist montane dwarf forests where it feeds actively in dense canopy foliage. It is most readily distinguished from Black-and-white Warbler by the absence of white streaking on its back and the lack of a white eyebrow. Easily separated from Blackpoll Warblers, which have a white, not black cheek. Song is a thin trill, higher pitched during first half and lower pitched during the second. Call note is a high, thin “Peet.”
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