Pied Imperial Pigeon

The Pied Imperial Pigeon, Ducula bicolor, presents a striking contrast with its pied plumage. This relatively large pigeon boasts a predominantly white body, lending it a regal appearance befitting its name.

Identification Tips

To identify the Pied Imperial Pigeon, look for its plain white thighs and undertail coverts, which may occasionally feature a dark spot at the very tip. Its bill is a distinctive bluish color with a narrow dark tip.

Habitat

The Pied Imperial Pigeon is an inhabitant of a variety of environments, including forests, woodlands, mangroves, plantations, and scrublands. It has a particular affinity for small islands and coastal regions, where it can often be observed.

Distribution

This species has a broad range across Southeast Asia, from Myanmar and Thailand, through Indonesia, to the Philippines—where it is locally known as 'camasu' and 'balud-puti'—and eastward to the Bird's Head Peninsula in New Guinea.

Similar Species

The taxonomy of the Pied Imperial Pigeon has been a subject of confusion, with some suggesting it includes the Torresian, yellowish, and silver-tipped imperial pigeons as subspecies. However, the Pied Imperial Pigeon can be distinguished by its white thighs and undertail coverts, as well as the coloration of its bill. The yellowish imperial pigeon has a yellowish tinge to its plumage, and the silver-tipped imperial pigeon has silvery-grey remiges, setting them apart from the Pied Imperial Pigeon.

Conservation status

BirdLife International and the IUCN have classified the Pied Imperial Pigeon as Least Concern, indicating that, for now, this species does not face immediate threats to its survival.