Photo: Chrissy McClarren and Andy Reago / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Little Cuckoo-Dove
Macropygia ruficeps
Little Cuckoo-Dove (Macropygia ruficeps) — 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 Little Cuckoo-Dove (Macropygia ruficeps) is a member of the Columbidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 81.9 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 Macropygia
- Species ruficeps
Quick facts
- Weight
- 81.9 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Columbidae
- Order
- Columbiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Little Cuckoo-Dove is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Little Cuckoo-Dove is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Little Cuckoo-Dove (Macropygia ruficeps) belongs to the Columbidae family of the order Columbiformes. Its range spans South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR widespread, also Lesser Sundas.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 81.9 g, with a wing length of about 14.1 cm and a tail of around 15.1 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 1.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Little Cuckoo-Dove?
The Little Cuckoo-Dove is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 81.9 g.
Where does the Little Cuckoo-Dove live?
The Little Cuckoo-Dove is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR widespread, also Lesser Sundas, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Little Cuckoo-Dove belong to?
The Little Cuckoo-Dove (Macropygia ruficeps) belongs to the Columbidae family, in the order Columbiformes.
What does the Little Cuckoo-Dove eat?
The Little Cuckoo-Dove is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Little Cuckoo-Dove migrate?
The Little Cuckoo-Dove is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Little Cuckoo-Dove 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 Little Cuckoo-Dove make?
1 real field recording of the Little Cuckoo-Dove — 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 Little Cuckoo-Dove's range?
The Little Cuckoo-Dove has a mapped global range of about 1.8 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.