- Collared Imperial Pigeon
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Collared Imperial Pigeon 
At San Diego Zoo, Florida, USA Conservation status Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Columbiformes Family: Columbidae Genus: Ducula Species: D. mullerii Binomial name Ducula mullerii
(Temminck, 1835)Synonyms Ducula müllerii (lapsus)
The Collared Imperial Pigeon, (Ducula mullerii), is a large (40 cm in length, 600 g in weight) pigeon with grey upperparts and largely grey-pink underparts, distinguished by a striking and diagnostic complete black collar against an otherwise white throat.
Contents
Distribution
Northern and southern New Guinea and the Aru Islands. It has been recorded from Boigu and Saibai Islands, Australian territory in northern Torres Strait.
Habitat
Lowland rainforest, swamp forest and mangroves.
Diet
Fruit from forest trees and insects. In the Port Moresby area, the main food during June/July was reported to be fruit of Tristiropsis canarioides which made up nearly half the diet. Some 30% of food volume were Ylang-ylang (Cananga odorata) fruit, the remainder being various Arecaceae (palm) fruits. Fruits eaten had a volume between 2 and 5 cm³, which would mean a diameter of about 1,5–2 cm in spherical fruit. Food is swallowed whole.(Frith et al. 1976)
Nesting
Lays single egg on flimsy platform nest in forest tree adjoining wetland.
Taxonomy
The binomial commemorates the German naturalist Salomon Müller.
References
- BirdLife International (2004). Ducula mullerii. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 27 February 2007. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
- BirdLife International (2006): Species factsheet: Ducula mullerii. Accessed 2007-01-23
- Coates, Brian J. (1985): The Birds of Papua New Guinea. Volume 1: Non-Passerines. Dover Publications, Alderley, Queensland. ISBN 0-9590257-0-7
- Frith, H.J.; Crome, F.H.J.C. & Wolfe, T.O. (1976): Food of fruit-pigeons in New Guinea. Emu 76(2): 49-58. HTML abstract
- Higgins, P.J.; & Davies, S.J.J.F. (eds.) (1996): Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 3: Snipe to Pigeons. Oxford University Press: Melbourne. ISBN 0-19-553070-5
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