Black Imperial Pigeon

The black imperial pigeon (Ducula melanochroa), also known as the Bismarck imperial pigeon, is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to the Bismarck Archipelago where it lives in forests. The black imperial pigeon is a large, heavy imperial pigeon with a long tail, with a length of 38–43 cm and weighing 661–665 g. Both sexes are similar. It is mainly slaty-black, with silver fringes on the wing coverts (flight feathers) and back that make a scaled pattern. The undertail coverts are dark chestnut while the underside of the tail is grey. The iris is red, the bill is blue-grey with a black tip, and the feet are dark reddish. Juveniles are similar to adults, but have paler chestnut on the undertail coverts.