Amboyna cuckoo-dove

The Amboyna cuckoo-dove is a dove in the genus Macropygia found in the Moluccas and New Guinea. It was one of three new species defined when the slender-billed cuckoo-dove was split up in 2016 and retains the Latin binomial of the former species.[1]

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Distribution

Region

Moluccas and New Guinea

Typical Environment

Occurs across the Maluku (Moluccas) archipelago and into New Guinea, including adjacent islands. It inhabits primary and secondary tropical rainforest, forest edges, and overgrown clearings. The species also frequents gardens and agroforests with fruiting trees near forest. It is largely sedentary within home ranges but may move locally in search of fruiting trees.

Altitude Range

Sea level to 2000 m

Climate Zone

Tropical

Characteristics

Size35–40 cm

Wing Span45–55 cm

Male Weight0.2 kg

Female Weight0.18 kg

Life Expectancy7 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 2/5

Useful to know

The Amboyna cuckoo-dove is a long-tailed forest dove that was split from the former slender-billed cuckoo-dove complex in 2016, retaining the name Macropygia amboinensis. It is often heard before it is seen, delivering deep, rhythmic coos from mid-story perches. This species adapts well to secondary growth and forest edges where fruiting trees are abundant.

Gallery

Behaviour

Temperament

shy and unobtrusive

Flight Pattern

strong direct flight with rapid wingbeats

Social Behavior

Usually encountered singly or in pairs, occasionally in small loose groups at fruiting trees. Nests are flimsy twig platforms placed in low to mid-story vegetation. Clutch typically consists of a single white egg, with both parents participating in incubation and care.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

A series of deep, resonant coos delivered at measured intervals, often rising and falling in a rhythmic pattern. Calls carry far through forest and are given from concealed perches.

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Identification

Leg Colorreddish-pink

Eye Colorred

Plumage

Overall warm rufous-brown with a vinous wash on the breast and fine darker barring on the wings and tail; neck often shows subtle coppery or greenish iridescence.

Feeding Habits

Diet

Feeds mainly on small fruits and berries, including figs and other native forest fruits. Also takes seeds and fallen fruit from the forest floor. Foraging is mostly in the mid to upper canopy but it will descend when fruit is available at lower levels. Occasional ingestion of grit helps with digestion.

Preferred Environment

Frequents fruiting trees in forest edges, secondary growth, and gardens near forest. Uses mid-story and canopy perches to scan for ripe fruit and moves between trees in short flights.

Population

Total Known Populationunknown

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