Nicobar Pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica)

Family: COLUMBIDAE

The large, worldwide family of pigeons feeds predominantly on fruits, seeds, and berries, and all have rather compact, plump bodies and short, stout bills. They nest on flimsy twig platform nests, laying white eggs. Calls are repetitive, melodious coos, and in flight pigeons make a characteristic flapping noise. Thirty species occur in the Greater Sundas, comprising three species groups.

• Fruit-doves and green-pigeon - (Treron, Ptilinopus) - smaller, arboreal birds with generally brightly coloured plumage without metallic colours.
• Imperial pigeons - (Ducula, Columba) - large, arboreal birds with metallic sheen in the plumage and generally with grey or whitish underparts.
• Ground doves - (Macropygia, Streptopelia, Geopelia, Chalcophaps and Caloenas) - birds which regularly visit the ground and have either highly iridescent, greenish upperparts, or drab, reddish brown colours.

Description: A large (40 cm), long-legged, almost tail-less ground pigeon with a dark grey, iridescent purple mane of long hackles. Back and wings glossy, iridescent green with copper sheen. Short tail is white.

Iris - brown; bill - black with prominent cere; feet - dark purplish red.

Voice: A deep croak, seldom heard.

Distribution and status: Confined to small offshore islands and generally rare. Breeds on Lingga archipelago, most of the Mentaur islands except Mentawai, and small island off the N and E coasts of Borneo.

Habits: Lives and feeds on the ground on small predator-free islands, flying from island to island over long distances. Rests on low perch for most of the day, becoming active at dusk. Active during day only in dark shady sites.