Tanna Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus tannensis Scientific name definitions

28–30 cm. Forehead , crown and face dark greenish yellow shading into dark green of rest of plumage; yellow tips or fringes to outer webs of most greater-coverts and secondaries form two yellow patches on wing; innermost lesser wing-coverts silvery white edged green, forming a patch of silver spots on “shoulder”; central tail feathers green with indistinct silvery green subterminal band; outer ones bright dark green with clearer silvery subterminal bands; broad yellow tips to feathers of vent and undertail-coverts; bill bluish grey; legs purplish red. Female lacks silver spots on lesser wing-coverts and has more white, less yellow, on lower belly. Juvenile green with yellow fringes to all feathers, forming a scaly effect.

It inhabits old-growth rainforest and also degraded habitats with large fruiting trees, including open woodland, parkland, plantations and gardens. It is most common in the lowlands and hills but is also present in mountains to at least 1500m.

Locally nomadic in response to ripening of fruit crops; probably also travels between islands.

Frugivorous; common food plants include large strangler-figs (Moraceae) and mahogany trees (Dysoxylum, Meliaceae); fruits of vines and probably palms are also taken. Feeds mainly in the canopy, singly, in pairs or in small groups; usually remains in dense foliage where it is difficult to see.

Advertising call is a repeated single coo  given at a rate of c. 1 note every 2.5 seconds. This cooing note (c. 1·0–1·3 seconds duration) gradually increases in pitch and amplitude, and ends abruptly “oooOOOh....oooOOOh... oooOOOh...”. On Santo described as very vocal, the most common call being a series (ten or more) of low, upwardly inflecting 'woot notes', spaced up to 2 seconds apart (2 Kratter, A.W., Kirchman, J.J. and Steadman, D.W. (2006). Upland bird communities on Santo, Vanuatu, southwest Pacific. Wilson J. Orn. 118(3): 295–31198. Close ).

Nests with eggs have been found in Apr, and fully feathered nestlings at end of May, but breeding season is probably extended; there may be more than one brood in the season. Nest is a flimsy platform of thin, loosely interwoven twigs, built in a horizontal fork; most nests are high up in trees. Lays 1 white egg; both adults incubate and care for the young.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Formerly considered near-threatened. It may be undergoing slow declines to due a loss of suitable large trees but it has been found to be quite tolerant of habitat degradation and remains very common at all habitats and altitudes across its range, including urban areas.