The Palau ground dove is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to Palau, living in forests. The IUCN has assessed it as an endangered species.
Region
Micronesia (Palau Archipelago)
Typical Environment
Primarily inhabits primary and mature secondary forests on limestone and volcanic substrates, favoring dense understory and leaf-littered floors. Also uses coastal strand vegetation, mangrove edges, and scrub thickets on small islets. Often associated with limestone karst terrain and forested rock islands where ground cover is ample. Typically keeps to shaded interior forest but may visit clearings and forest edges to feed.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
The Palau ground dove is a shy, terrestrial pigeon found only in Palau’s forests and thickets. It spends much of its time foraging on the forest floor and often goes unnoticed due to its secretive habits. Its survival is closely tied to intact, predator-free island forests; invasive rats and cats are major threats. Conservation actions in Palau focus on habitat protection and invasive predator control.
Temperament
solitary and secretive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low swift flights between cover
Social Behavior
Usually encountered singly or in pairs, keeping close to dense cover. Nests are simple and placed on the ground or low in shrubs, with a small clutch typical of ground-doves. Courtship involves soft coos and short display flights.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A soft, low series of cooing notes delivered from the ground or a low perch. Calls are subdued and easily lost in forest background noise.
Plumage
Compact ground-dove with mostly brown to rufous-brown upperparts and paler underparts, often with a subtle scaled texture on neck and breast. Head and forehead show greyer tones, and the wings can show a slight metallic sheen in good light. Tail is short and rounded.
Diet
Forages for small seeds, fallen fruits, and tender plant material in the leaf litter. Supplements diet with small invertebrates such as insects and snails. Typically picks items from the ground, moving quietly and methodically.
Preferred Environment
Feeds on shaded forest floors, along trails, and at forest edges with abundant leaf litter. Also forages in coastal scrub and thickets on small islets where disturbance is low.
