Gray-green Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus purpuratus Scientific name definitions

The Gray-green Fruit-Dove is found on Tahiti and Moorea in the Society Islands. In comparison with some of the exceedingly vibrant species in the Ptilinopus genus, the Gray-green Fruit-Dove can seem almost plain; it is largely green with a gray head, neck, and chest, a yellowish belly and vent, and a purple or lilac crown. It is most often seen alone or in pairs, although it is an unobtrusive species that is heard more than seen. Its plaintive vocalization, from which its onomatopoeic Tahitian name, ‘ū‘upa, is derived, begins an hour before dawn and continues through the early evening. It is a generalist frugivore that has been able to incorporate non-native fruits into its diet, but nonetheless, remains the sole seed disperser for many native plants of the Society Islands. Historically an abundant species (at least on Tahiti), most populations are in decline, likely as a result of the combined effects of habitat loss and degradation, as well as invasive species.