Spotted Imperial-Pigeon Ducula carola Scientific name definitions

33–35·5 cm; 258–320 g. Head , neck and breast silvery grey to pale blue-grey, with a crescent-shaped white band across the breast; mantle, back and wing-coverts silver grey or mauve-grey spotted black; outerwing-coverts, secondaries and rump grey-mauve tinged iridescent green; primaries, secondaries and tail greenish black; longer uppertail-coverts iridescent green; lower underparts dark chestnut, separated from grey breast by a narrow black band; flanks and underwings greyish; iris white; bill pink or pinkish red, white at tip; legs and feet pink or pinkish red. Female has head and neck darker grey with less silver, and white crescent on breast lacking; underparts greyish mauve tinged rufous; undertail-coverts cinnamon; upperparts purplish and iridescent green, brightest on rump; metallic tones richer than in male. Juvenile has breast and belly chestnut. Race nigrorum has lower breast black in male, female dark on breast with more chestnut on belly; mindanensis similar to previous race, but chin, throat and upper breast almost white and lower breast slaty black, wing-coverts fringed with richer reddish chestnut.

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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.

It inhabits primary and selectively logged forest and forest edge up to 2,400 m, but favours lowlands. It appears to be confined to closed-canopy forest, although occasionally ventures to fruiting trees outside forest to feed. It is gregarious and nomadic, travelling long distances, both daily and seasonally, in response to food availability.

Little information, but on some islands is believed to be somewhat nomadic, with long-range daily movements being reported (perhaps seasonally) on, for example, Luzon. Reported to fly regularly over mountain ridges in flocks.

Few data. Reported to feed on large fruits and berries, including Eugenia and probably Ficus. Sometimes congregates in large numbers at fruiting trees and perhaps travels long distances between roost-sites and foraging sites.

Poorly documented. Advertising call is a low-pitched, descending and accelerating series of hoots, “hu hu hu hu hu-hu-hu-hu-huhu”, lasting c. 3 seconds, recalling Phapitreron brunneiceps (1 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 and New York. Close ).

Very little known. Season probably generally Feb to Jul, based on birds collected in breeding condition on various islands. One nest found in May on Mindoro was very unusually (for this genus) reported to have been found in a hollow in a perpendicular cliff, c. 4 m up; it was a scant platform of twigs, containing one white egg.

VULNERABLE. All races appear to be rare. The population is estimated at 3500–15,000 individuals. It is thought to be in rapid and continuing decline chiefly on account of extensive and on-going habitat loss. Hunting is also a threat. Although the species is known from Luzon, Mindoro, Sibuyan, Negros, Siquijor and Mindanao (2 Collar, N.J., Mallari, N.A.D. and Tabaranza, B.R. (1999). Threatened Birds of the Philippines. BirdLife International, Haribon Foundation & Bookmark, Makati City & Manila. Close ) the race nigrorum is likely to be extinct on Negros, although still common there in the 1950s, and is very likely to be extinct on Siquijor. Since 1980, there have been records from at least 12 sites on Luzon, Mindoro and Mindanao but it may have disappeared from Sibuyan.