Philippine Green-Pigeon Treron axillaris Scientific name definitions

c. 28 cm; 108·2–240·7 g (amadoni), 176·6–219·4 g (axillaris), 165·3–257·1 g (canescens). Medium-large green-pigeon  . Male  nominate race has forehead and crown pearl-grey (forming a somewhat diffuse cap), olive hindneck, neck-sides and throat to belly yellowish green, flanks and thighs yellow and dark olive-green, undertail-coverts white with pale yellow tips to shortest feathers and dark grey shaft-streaks to longest ones, and above has a broad maroon band across the mantle and lesser wing-coverts, and olive-green back, rump and central tail-feathers, while outer rectrices are grey with broad black subterminal band; flight-feathers black, and inner secondaries and median and greater coverts have clear yellow fringes forming two conspicuous wingbars; bill has dark red base, becoming bluish or pale green from nostrils to tip, eyes blue or bluish green with bluish orbital skin, and legs and feet blue. Female lacks maroon on back and is overall darker yellowish green; can be confused with same sex of smaller T. vernans, but latter lacks olive-green central rectrices, and has brighter yellow belly and golden-olive uppertail-coverts. Juvenile apparently much like adult female. Races differ mainly in males, in the intensity of maroon and green on upperparts and presence or absence of grey band posterior to mantle: amadoni  , sometimes considered to be a poorly differentiated race, reportedly separated from canescens by having grey border to fore edge of maroon mantle, darker and less well-defined grey cap, but no grey band between mantle and back (wing 156–157 mm); canescens differs from nominate by darker maroon mantle washed glaucous, pale grey band between mantle and back, purer grey and more extensive cap, and less yellowish underparts (wing 148–158 mm, vs. 157–162 mm in nominate); and the largest race everetti is distinguished from canescens by more clearly demarcated and smaller grey cap, with distinct pale grey band between olive hindneck and maroon mantle (wing 164–165 mm).

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Previously considered conspecific with T. pompadora. Within this group, present species differs from both T. phayrei and T. affinis on account of its red cere on base of bill (2), much larger bill (no measurements taken; at least 1), bluish-grey vs reddish-pink legs and feet (3), blackish-grey carpal area (ns[2]), white vs creamy-brown undertail-coverts (3), plus various further characters in relation to one or other of phayrei and affinis (1 Collar, N.J. (2011). Species limits in some Philippine birds including the Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes lucidus. Forktail. 27: 29–38. Close ). Four subspecies currently recognized.

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 in primary and secondary evergreen forest and forest patches, from lowlands up to c. 1000 m (2 Kennedy, R. S., P. C. Gonzales, E. C. Dickinson, H. C. Miranda, and T. H. Fisher (2000). A Guide to the Birds of the Philippines. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).

Performs altitudinal movements, largely in response to fruiting periods of higher-altitude and lowland trees (2 Kennedy, R. S., P. C. Gonzales, E. C. Dickinson, H. C. Miranda, and T. H. Fisher (2000). A Guide to the Birds of the Philippines. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ), e.g. on Bohol, the species is suspected to nest only at upper elevations, then descend to the lowlands post-breeding, where large flocks may form.

Frugivorous, but nothing published concerning dietary specifics. Arboreal; large flocks may gather at fruiting trees in Sept–Jan, in company with other green-pigeons (2 Kennedy, R. S., P. C. Gonzales, E. C. Dickinson, H. C. Miranda, and T. H. Fisher (2000). A Guide to the Birds of the Philippines. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).

Produces a mournful “coo”; also a series of modulated, mellow whistles  (2 Kennedy, R. S., P. C. Gonzales, E. C. Dickinson, H. C. Miranda, and T. H. Fisher (2000). A Guide to the Birds of the Philippines. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Extensive range (estimated at 275,000 km²), but overall estimate of population lacking, though thought to be declining. Subject to high hunting pressure and has become uncommon or rare in some areas; reportedly still common in remnant forests of Mindoro in early 1990s, but perhaps extinct on Cebu (3 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 Panay (4 Curio, E. (2002). Prioritisation of Philippine island avifaunas for conservation: a new combinatorial measure. Biological Conservation 106:373–380. Close ).