Nicobar Pigeon Caloenas nicobarica Scientific name definitions

32–38 cm (1 Gibbs, D., E. Barnes, and J. Cox (2001). Pigeons and Doves: A Guide to the Pigeons and Doves of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ); male 460–525 g, female 490–600 g. Stocky and dark, with unique long fowl-like hackles on the neck and a very short all-white tail ; head and hairy upper neck feathers dark blackish grey with a silvery purple bloom; upperparts glossy dark or coppery green; underparts dark, iridescent green or green and blue; heavy black bill with enlarged cere; feet purplish red with yellow or buffy claws. Female similar, but has smaller cere, shorter hackles and browner underparts. Immature lacks neck hackles and is entirely brownish black, including the tail; hackles acquired before the white tail by maturing birds; legs and feet brownish (1 Gibbs, D., E. Barnes, and J. Cox (2001). Pigeons and Doves: A Guide to the Pigeons and Doves of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ). Race pelewensis marginally smaller (wing 219 mm, vs. smallest nominate at 243 mm) (1 Gibbs, D., E. Barnes, and J. Cox (2001). Pigeons and Doves: A Guide to the Pigeons and Doves of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ) and bluer (rather than greener) (1 Gibbs, D., E. Barnes, and J. Cox (2001). Pigeons and Doves: A Guide to the Pigeons and Doves of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ), with shorter (less than half length of those in nominate) and blunter neck hackles (1 Gibbs, D., E. Barnes, and J. Cox (2001). Pigeons and Doves: A Guide to the Pigeons and Doves of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ) (some, but not all, with bifurcate tips) (2 Buden, D.W., Wichep, J. and Santos, G. (2010). First record of Nicobar Pigeon Caloenas nicobarica in the Federated States of Micronesia. Bull. Brit. Orn. Club. 130(2): 147-149. Close ).

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Occurs only on small wooded (and often uninhabited) (1 Gibbs, D., E. Barnes, and J. Cox (2001). Pigeons and Doves: A Guide to the Pigeons and Doves of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ) islands, typically off larger landmasses with reasonably intact forest cover (1 Gibbs, D., E. Barnes, and J. Cox (2001). Pigeons and Doves: A Guide to the Pigeons and Doves of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ); found in mangroves, scrub, lowland and foothill forests up to at least 700 m. In places, persists in secondary habitats and will tolerate selectively logged forest.

Highly nomadic, with recent (Nov 2009) record, apparently pertaining to nominate race, from Pohnpei, in Federated States of Micronesia, which is c. 1500 km from nearest known population (in NE Melanesia) (2 Buden, D.W., Wichep, J. and Santos, G. (2010). First record of Nicobar Pigeon Caloenas nicobarica in the Federated States of Micronesia. Bull. Brit. Orn. Club. 130(2): 147-149. Close ). Commutes between islands, visiting larger islets to feed, and then sometimes even reaching “mainland” islands, e.g. New Guinea, where it occurs locally on coasts except in the south (3 Pratt, T. K., and B. M. Beehler (2015) Birds of New Guinea. Second edition. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, USA. Close ). Off Peninsular Malaysia, apparently only present on islets off W coast in Aug and Oct–Apr, being seemingly absent during other months (4 Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ). Capable of flying long distances over the sea, travelling usually in small flocks (3 Pratt, T. K., and B. M. Beehler (2015) Birds of New Guinea. Second edition. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, USA. Close ). Locally common when and where trees are fruiting, subsequently absent. Often in flocks of up to 85 birds in early morning and late afternoon (1 Gibbs, D., E. Barnes, and J. Cox (2001). Pigeons and Doves: A Guide to the Pigeons and Doves of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ), typically flying at a height of 60 m or more; flight profile distinctive, with long neck, broad wings, and very short tail; when flushed from ground, bird flies up with a whirr of wings to land in middle or upper level of forest.

The feeding ecology of this species is focused on so-called pigeon islands: small, offshore islands where imperial pigeons flock in numbers to roost and nest. Here the Nicobars themselves roost at night in the forest interior and at dawn descend to the ground to feed on the abundant fallen seeds passed by the fruit-eating imperials (3 Pratt, T. K., and B. M. Beehler (2015) Birds of New Guinea. Second edition. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, USA. Close ). In general, feeds on fallen fruits and seeds (sometimes squirrel leftovers) (4 Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ), occasionally invertebrates (1 Gibbs, D., E. Barnes, and J. Cox (2001). Pigeons and Doves: A Guide to the Pigeons and Doves of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ). The thick-walled muscular gizzard is lined with horny plates, capable of grinding large nuts; also ingests grit and stones up to 10 mm in diameter to aid digestion of such large seeds (1 Gibbs, D., E. Barnes, and J. Cox (2001). Pigeons and Doves: A Guide to the Pigeons and Doves of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ). Feeds on the ground , usually singly or in pairs, sometimes 3–4 individuals (1 Gibbs, D., E. Barnes, and J. Cox (2001). Pigeons and Doves: A Guide to the Pigeons and Doves of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ) and occasionally in apparent association with Sula Scrubfowl (Megapodius bernsteinii) (5 Indrawan, M., Y. Masala, and L. Pesik (1997). Recent bird observations from the Banggai Islands. Kukila 9:61–70. Close ), particularly active at dawn and dusk, and appears to be crepuscular (3 Pratt, T. K., and B. M. Beehler (2015) Birds of New Guinea. Second edition. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, USA. Close ).

Often silent, but for occasional harsh guttural croaks or barking sounds, rendered “ku-RRAU”, soft grunts or coos, and pig-like grunts, some of which may refer to very deep, low and reverberating “rrr-rrr-rrr-rrr...” heard at breeding colony (1 Gibbs, D., E. Barnes, and J. Cox (2001). Pigeons and Doves: A Guide to the Pigeons and Doves of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ).

Season apparently prolonged; on Tench I (Bismarck Archipelago), pairs gather to nest in Jun, with some birds remaining on nests until Jan; Jan–Mar/Apr in Andamans and Nicobars; eggs Apr and Sept off Peninsular Malaysia (4 Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ); males in breeding condition on Sumbawa in May; eggs collected mid-Mar on Saya I in Lingga Archipelago (off E Sumatra) and mid-Jul on Tinjil I (off W Java) (6 Holmes, D.A. and van Balen, S. (1996). The birds of Tinjil and Deli Islands, West Java. Kukila. 8: 117–126. Close ); immature collected on Palawan (SW Philippines) in Nov; Oct–Mar on small islands off Irian Jaya; chicks in Aug off S Vietnam (7 Le, M.H. (2013). The current status of some important species in Con Dao National Park, Vietnam. BirdingASIA. 19: 73-77. Close ). Nests in colonies, sometimes associated with Ducula imperial-pigeons (4 Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ), usually on small islands; undisturbed colonies may number 1000s of pairs, but more usually 100s, e.g. in Melanesia (8 Dutson, G. (2011). Birds of Melanesia: The Bismarcks, Solomons, Vanuatu and New Caledonia. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Nest is untidy platform of twigs, c. 30 cm in diameter by 23 cm deep (4 Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ); can be placed as low as 2 m above ground in undisturbed colonies, or just below the canopy (up to 12 m) in disturbed sites; several nests may be placed in a single tree. Lays one white egg, size 43–48 mm × 33–34·5 mm (4 Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ), incubated by both sexes (1 Gibbs, D., E. Barnes, and J. Cox (2001). Pigeons and Doves: A Guide to the Pigeons and Doves of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ); hatchling reported to be devoid of down; chick tended by both adults (1 Gibbs, D., E. Barnes, and J. Cox (2001). Pigeons and Doves: A Guide to the Pigeons and Doves of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ), fledging takes up to one month.

Not globally threatened. CITES I. Currently considered Near Threatened. Formerly classed as a threatened species. Colonial nesting habits make species vulnerable to disturbance, as the small isolated islands it prefers become increasingly developed. Population information scarce, but species is known to have declined markedly in much of its range as result of hunting for food and parts (e.g. gizzard stones), and exploitation for pet trade (4 Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ), with exploitation dating back to prehistorical times (9 Steadman, D.W. and Kirch, P.V. (1998). Biogeography and prehistoric exploitation of birds in the Mussau Islands, Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea. Emu. 98(1): 13–22. Close ); e.g. now probably rare on Bornean offshore islands (e.g. Sipadan (10 Lambert, F. R. (1993). Some key sites and significant records of birds in the Philippines and Sabah. Bird Conservation International 3(4):281–297. Close ), Matasirih, Kadapangan and Marabatuan) (11 Davison, G. W. H. (2000). Avifaunal affinities of some islands in the Java Sea. Kukila 11:47–50. Close ). Comparatively few recent records from Indonesia, from Halmahera, Bacan, coastal Obi, Sumbawa, Flores, Togian Is (12 Indrawan, M., S. Somadikarta, J. Supriatna, M. D. Bruce, Sunarto, and G. Djanubudiman (2006). The birds of the Togian Islands, central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Forktail 22:7–22. Close ), Banggai Is (5 Indrawan, M., Y. Masala, and L. Pesik (1997). Recent bird observations from the Banggai Islands. Kukila 9:61–70. Close ), Sula Is, Sangihe (where only known to local people and not recorded during three surveys in last decade) (13 Riley, J. (2002). Population sizes and the status of endemic and restricted-range bird species on Sangihe Island, Indonesia. Bird Conservation International 12(1):53–78. Close ), Karakelang (Talaud Is, where also reported only by local people) (14 Riley, J. (2003). Population sizes and the conservation status of endemic and restricted-range bird species on Karakelang, Talaud Islands, Indonesia. Bird Conservation International. 13(1): 59–74. Close ), submontane forest on Seram, and several small island colonies off Irian Jaya, where species is apparently highly susceptible to disturbance. Severe hunting pressure reported around New Guinea, where 86 skulls, mostly of this species, but also of Ducula bicolor, were found at a “dump” on Palau Kumbur, Irian Jaya; also in Solomon Is, where some colonies now highly threatened (8 Dutson, G. (2011). Birds of Melanesia: The Bismarcks, Solomons, Vanuatu and New Caledonia. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Habitat destruction, hunting and trade are all major problems in Philippines, where principally known from small islands; no recent records from Negros; already scarce on Siquijor in early 1950s, and perhaps now extirpated from W Visayas. Remains locally common on some smaller offshore islands off Sumatra, but considered to be rare through much of Greater Sundas, and species may have declined on two islands off W Java due to introduction of long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) (6 Holmes, D.A. and van Balen, S. (1996). The birds of Tinjil and Deli Islands, West Java. Kukila. 8: 117–126. Close ). Tiny Vietnamese population protected within Con Dao National Park, but records on just two islands therein in recent years, namely Tre Nho (nine birds and four nests, Aug 2012) and Bay Canh (eight individuals in 2007) (7 Le, M.H. (2013). The current status of some important species in Con Dao National Park, Vietnam. BirdingASIA. 19: 73-77. Close ). Race pelewensis is primarily found on the small “rock islands” S of Koror, and is considered Vulnerable by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, although the population (c. 1000 individuals) (1 Gibbs, D., E. Barnes, and J. Cox (2001). Pigeons and Doves: A Guide to the Pigeons and Doves of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ) is apparently stable at present.