Green Imperial Pigeon

The green imperial pigeon is a large, plump forest pigeon about 45cm long. Its back, wings and tail are metallic green, while the head and underparts are white apart from maroon undertail coverts. The sexes are similar. Its deep, resonant call is often the first sign that this treetop bird is present. The range runs from Nepal, southern India and Sri Lanka east to southern China, Indonesia and the Philippines, and eleven subspecies are recognised, including the distinctive chestnut-naped form of Sulawesi (Wikipedia, general species account).

It is an arboreal pigeon that feeds on fruit and other plant material in the forest canopy. Its flight is fast and direct, with regular wingbeats and the occasional sharp flick typical of pigeons. It is not very gregarious but will form small flocks. It builds a stick nest in a tree and lays a single white egg. In India it is a resident forest bird with a moderate range; SoIB 2023 finds its long-term trend stable and a current increase of about 5% a year, and rates it a Low conservation priority (Wikipedia, general species account; SoIB 2023).