Spectacled Imperial-Pigeon Ducula perspicillata Scientific name definitions

41·5–43 cm. Medium to large imperial-pigeon, with a relatively long tail, fairly slender body and rather steep forehead. Head dark bluish grey with conspicuous white eye-ring and white band around base of bill; dark grey head grades to pale grey on breast and even paler pinkish grey on belly ; nape dark grey suffused green, becoming iridescent blue-green or bronzy green on hindneck, mantle, back and wing-coverts; outer secondaries, primaries and rectrices dark greenish blue; undertail-coverts pinkish grey; iris dark brown; bill greyish blue with reddish base; legs and feet purplish red. Sexes alike, but female is smaller. Juvenile slightly duller than adult. Birds on Kofiau I, where only comparatively recently discovered, apparently possess plumage characteristics closer to D. neglecta, but their vocals are clearly like those of the present species (see Voice).

Usually considered conspecific with D. neglecta but it differs from that species in its much darker grey head (3); typically much less bronzy-green back and wings (2); and different voice (allow 2). Forms a species-group with that species, D. aenea and D. concinna. Monotypic.

Prefers primary forest, primarily in the lowlands; also occurs in tall secondary forest, wooded cultivation, coconut plantations, mangroves and gardens; scarce in lower montane zone, though recorded up to 600 on Bacana, 850 m on Halmahera, 1200 m on Obi (1 Thibault, M., P. Defos du Rau, O. Pineau, and W. Pangimangen (2013). New and interesting records for the Obi archipelago (north Maluku, Indonesia), including field observations and first description of the vocalisation of Moluccan Woodcock Scolopax rochussenii. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 133(2):83–115. Close ) and 1400 m on Buru.

No information, but presumably wanders in search of fruit to some extent, like most congenerics.

Frugivorous; feeds on larger fruits in the canopy, but no further information available. Usually observed alone or in pairs, more occasionally in small parties.

Very vocal. Advertising call  (usually delivered from deep cover) a series of 6–8 loud, moderately low-pitched, short and descending “hoo” notes, with the first note longest and upslurred, e.g. “whoo-woo-woo-woo-oo-oo-oo”, sometimes accelerating towards end and repeated at 2–3-second intervals (2 Coates, B. J., and K. D. Bishop (1997). A Guide to the Birds of Wallacea: Sulawesi, The Moluccas and Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia. Dove Publications, Alderley, Queensland, Australia. Close ), but occasionally another series may immediately follow the first one. Calls include a soft, short, ascending “br-r-r” and a low-pitched coo that rises and then falls in pitch, e.g. “brrrrroo” (3 Pratt, T. K., and B. M. Beehler (2015) Birds of New Guinea. Second edition. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, USA. Close ). Three vocalizations recorded on Kofiau I, indicating that this newly discovered population belongs with D. perspicillata, rather than D. neglecta (despite plumage being apparently closer to latter): a far-carrying, descending series of c. 7 hoarse notes, the first at a lower pitch than the second (“hoo—hohohohohoho”), similar to D. pistrinaria; a soft, short, ascending “br-r-r”; and a low-pitched slow note that rises and then falls in pitch (4 Diamond, J., I. Mauro, K. D. Bishop, and L. Wijaya (2009). The avifauna of Kofiau Island, Indonesia. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 129(3):169–181. Close ).

Almost nothing known; breeding reported in Feb–Mar and nestbuilding in Nov on Buru.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Considered generally common throughout its range and global population thought to exceed 500,000 individuals. Population on Buru alone estimated at 382,000 individuals in 1989 and that in the proposed Lolobata Reserve (1060 km²) in NE Halmahera at 22,100 individuals in the mid 1990s (5 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 ). First recorded in the Papuan region only recently, on Kofiau I, where it is abundant in the canopy of primary and secondary forests, and remnant trees in gardens, singly or in groups of up to 30 (4 Diamond, J., I. Mauro, K. D. Bishop, and L. Wijaya (2009). The avifauna of Kofiau Island, Indonesia. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 129(3):169–181. Close ).