Photo: nrg800 / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Metallic Pigeon
Columba vitiensis
Metallic Pigeon (Columba vitiensis) — Pigeons & Doves of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Metallic Pigeon (Columba vitiensis) is a member of the Columbidae family found in Australia & Oceania, Oceans & Seabirds and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 353 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Columbiformes
- Family Columbidae Pigeons, Doves
- Genus Columba
- Species vitiensis
Where it lives
Philippines to Samoa (central Polynesia)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 353 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Columbidae
- Order
- Columbiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Metallic Pigeon is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Metallic Pigeon is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Metallic Pigeon (Columba vitiensis) is a member of the Columbidae family, within the order Columbiformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania, Oceans & Seabirds and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR, AU, PO Philippines to Samoa (c Polynesia).
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 353 g, with a wing length of about 21.6 cm and a tail of around 13.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.1 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Metallic Pigeon?
The Metallic Pigeon is a large bird that weighs around 353 g.
Where does the Metallic Pigeon live?
The Metallic Pigeon is found across Australia & Oceania, Oceans & Seabirds and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR, AU, PO Philippines to Samoa (c Polynesia), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Metallic Pigeon belong to?
The Metallic Pigeon (Columba vitiensis) belongs to the Columbidae family, in the order Columbiformes.
What does the Metallic Pigeon eat?
The Metallic Pigeon is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Metallic Pigeon migrate?
The Metallic Pigeon is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Metallic Pigeon endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Metallic Pigeon make?
1 real field recording of the Metallic Pigeon — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Metallic Pigeon's range?
The Metallic Pigeon has a mapped global range of about 1.1 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Columbidae
A field guide to the Columbidae family — 352 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.