Ashy Wood-Pigeon Columba pulchricollis Scientific name definitions

31–36 cm; 330 g. Head bluish grey merging into white throat; broad neck collar, wider at back and narrowing at sides, consisting of black feathers with shiny buff or cream tips, which gives a spotted impression when neck is stretched; rest of neck and upperparts bluish grey with some green iridescence; purplish on upper neck, mantle and upper breast; lower breast lighter grey merging into paler or buffish vent; undertail-coverts buffish white; primaries and rectrices greyish black; iris white, greyish white or pale yellow; orbital skin grey; bill dull green distally, purplish basally; legs purplish to coral red, claws horny brown. Female slightly duller, breast with some brownish buff suffusion. Juvenile duller still; breast, underparts and some wing-coverts with rusty buff edges to feathers; neck markings barely noticeable.

WC Nepal and S Tibet through Sikkim and Bhutan to Arunachal Pradesh, whence S through S Assam Hills to NW & NE Myanmar, CS China (Yunnan) and N Thailand; also Taiwan; recently recorded in N Laos (1 Duckworth, J.W., Davidson, P.J.A., Evans, T.D., Round, P.D. and Timmins, R.J. (2002). Bird records from Laos, principally the Upper Lao/Thai Mekong and Xiangkhouang Province, in 1998–2000. Forktail 18: 11–44. Close ) and N Vietnam (W Tonkin (2 Tordoff, A.W. (2002). Ashy Wood Pigeon Columba pulchricollis: a new species for Vietnam. Forktail 18: 147–148. Close ) and C Annam).

A forest species inhabiting mixed deciduous and evergreen forests of oak, chestnut and rhododendrons. Usually found at 1200–3200 m in Himalayas, but in Bengal recorded as low as 100–150 m during all seasons of the year.

Known to be a wanderer, following good fruit crops. Possibly undertakes altitudinal movements, but details unclear.

Mostly frugivorous and arboreal; also feeds on seeds and grain, acorns, cardamon berries and small snails. Feeds as individuals, pairs, or flocks of 10–30 birds.

Advertising call a repeated single, emphatic, low-pitched hoot, “whooh....whooh....whooh...” (each note slightly overslurred, attaining maximum amplitude in the middle, note length c. 0·3–0·4 seconds, pause c. 1·5 seconds). Voice of disjunct Taiwanese population is similar.

Known to breed May–Aug. Untidy nest of twigs placed fairly low in tree; said by one observer to be lined with some feathers. Typical clutch apparently 1 white egg, but clutches of 2 have been found in Sikkim; incubation 21–23 days; nestlings fledge within 4 weeks.

Not globally threatened. Limited information available, but species appears to be rare and secretive throughout its mostly rather remote range. Threatened by deforestation in Thailand, where it is at the edge of its range.