From Opus

Caloenas nicobarica

Photo by birte

[edit] Identification

40cm. Metallic green with green and copper on the neck. Dark grey head and upper neck, flight feathers and breast. Very short, white tail. There is a black knob on the base of the bill, dark red legs. Females are slightly smaller than males; they have a smaller bill knob, and browner underparts. Immature birds have a black tail.

[edit] Distribution

Various offshore islands from the Nicobars to Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Palau.

[edit] Taxonomy

It is the only living member of the genus Caloenas.

[edit] Habitat

Off shore islets; forest

[edit] Behaviour

It flies in flocks from island to island, including inhabited sites

Diet includes seeds, fruit and some invertebrates, and is attracted to areas where grain is available.

It nests in dense forest, building a stick nest in a tree and laying one elliptical, faintly blue-tinged white egg.

[edit] External Links

• View more images of this species on Orientalbirdimages