Christmas Island Imperial-pigeon
A species of Imperial pigeons Scientific name : Ducula whartoni Genus : Imperial pigeons
Christmas Island Imperial-pigeon, A species of Imperial pigeons
Botanical name: Ducula whartoni
Genus: Imperial pigeons
Content
Description General Info
Description
An adult Christmas imperial pigeon male measures on average 435–470 mm (17.1–18.5 in), and females 440–460 mm (17–18 in). In males, the wing averages 250–264 mm (9.8–10.4 in), and in females 231–258 mm (9.1–10.2 in). The average male weighs 383–700 g (0.84–1.54 lb), and female 406–575 g (0.90–1.27 lb). It is rather large for imperial pigeons, though relatively lightly built. It has an overall grey-black colour, with darker feathers on the top portion, and lighter feathers on the breast and belly with a burgundy tinge. The beak is black. There is a narrow white band on the base of the upper beak. The eye colour ranges from yellow to orange. The nape and back have a glossy oil-green colour. The wings have glossy bluish-green tips, and are greyish-brown nearer the base. The tail has broad, greenish-brown tips with a somewhat scalloped appearance, and the legs and underside of the tail have reddish-brown feathers. The feet are purple-red. Juveniles look similar to adults, but have duller colouration, without the oil-green gloss from the lower back to the tail coverts, with a brown breast and belly, a dull grey crown, and grey-brown feet. Eye colour is dark brown. The Christmas imperial pigeon is known to make a soft gurgling or purring coo sound. It can also make a deep whoo or croo-croo-croo sound which has also been compared to a cow mooing in the distance. It sometimes makes loud clapping sounds with its wings, but in flight, it is largely quiet. 
Size
45 cm
Feeding Habits
Christmas Island Imperial-pigeon primarily consumes fruit, with a preference for Myrtaceae, Moraceae, and other canopy species. It often forages in the treetops and gathers in groups at plentiful fruiting trees.
Habitat
Christmas Island Imperial-pigeon primarily inhabit primary and secondary rainforest ecosystems on inland plateaus. Despite being predominantly found in these evergreen habitats, they can also adapt to environments that have undergone anthropogenic changes, such as areas recolonized by introduced tree species like the Jamaican cherry. While they are less commonly observed in coastal or littoral forests, their presence increases when food sources in these regions are abundant. Their distribution includes tropical islands within the eastern Indian Ocean.
Dite type
Frugivorous
General Info
Species Status
The Christmas imperial pigeon is classified as near threatened by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and is not protected by the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 because, though its moderately small population is restricted to an island, it appears to be stable with no indication of significant future decline. It is possible that the population fluctuated from the initial settlement of the island in 1888 to the 1970s, with reports of a minor decline. In 1975, ornithologist Gerard Frederick van Tets guessed the total population to be 20 to 200 birds. A 2000 survey estimated the breeding population to be 1,000, and predicted that, due to the rapid spread of the invasive yellow crazy ant, there would be an 80% decline in the pigeon's population over the next 12 years, making it critically endangered. Conversely, a 2003 survey estimated 35,000–66,000 individuals. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the population as 5,000 mature individuals, and the pigeon is considered to be common with no major concerns of decline.
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Pigeons and doves Family
Dove Genus
Imperial pigeons Species
Christmas Island Imperial-pigeon 
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