The Malabar Imperial-Pigeon (Ducula cuprea) is also known as the Nilgiri Imperial-Pigeon. It’s a bird that’s endemic to the Western Ghats of India. It’s a member of the Pigeonidae family, and its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
The Malabar Imperial-Pigeon is similar in size and structure to the Green Imperial-Pigeon, but has some differences. For example, the Malabar Imperial-Pigeon has a brown back instead of a green back, and lacks a chestnut undertail patch. It’s also larger than the Nilgiri Wood-Pigeon, and lacks the black-and-white patch on the back of the neck that the Nilgiri Wood-Pigeon has.
Wood pigeons have red bills with yellow tips, iridescent green and purple feathers on their necks, and white patches on the sides. Their legs and feet are red, and they have grey-blue plumage. Their eyes are golden or green.
Large elegant pearl-gray pigeon with dark-brown wings. There is a broad gray band across the end of the tail that is especially obvious in flight. Inhabits mature rainforest and deciduous forest, mostly in foothills and montane areas, but sometimes down to sea level. Forages in upper levels of forest, often in small flocks. Flies powerfully over the canopy. Song is deep and resonant: “ouh-woOO WOO.” General coloration similar to Nilgiri Wood-Pigeon, but larger, and lacks that species’ black-and-white patch on the back of the neck. Similar size and structure to Green Imperial-Pigeon, but has many differences, including a brown rather than green back, and the lack of a chestnut undertail patch.
This was photographed at Sindhudurg, Maharashtra, India.
These rare photographs have been clicked and contributed by K. Shiva Kumar, a professional Wildlife Storyteller (M.A in Journalism & Mass Communication, an alumnus of Central University Of Odisha, Koraput) from Hyderabad, Telangana.
