Photo: DickDaniels (http://theworldbirds.org/) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-bellied Imperial Pigeon
Ducula forsteni
White-bellied Imperial Pigeon (Ducula forsteni) — Pigeons & Doves of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The White-bellied Imperial Pigeon (Ducula forsteni) is a member of the Columbidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 510 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 Ducula
- Species forsteni
Where it lives
Montane Sulawesi, Togian Is. (between northeastern and east-central Sulawesi), Banggai and Sula is. (east of Sulawesi)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 510 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Columbidae
- Order
- Columbiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-bellied Imperial Pigeon is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The White-bellied Imperial Pigeon is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The White-bellied Imperial Pigeon (Ducula forsteni) is a species of bird in the Columbidae family, part of the order Columbiformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU montane Sulawesi, Togian Is. (between ne and ec Sulawesi), Banggai and Sula is. (e of Sulawesi).
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 510 g, with a wing length of about 24 cm and a tail of around 18.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 146,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-bellied Imperial Pigeon?
The White-bellied Imperial Pigeon is a large bird that weighs around 510 g.
Where does the White-bellied Imperial Pigeon live?
The White-bellied Imperial Pigeon is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU montane Sulawesi, Togian Is. (between ne and ec Sulawesi), Banggai and Sula is. (e of Sulawesi), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the White-bellied Imperial Pigeon belong to?
The White-bellied Imperial Pigeon (Ducula forsteni) belongs to the Columbidae family, in the order Columbiformes.
What does the White-bellied Imperial Pigeon eat?
The White-bellied Imperial Pigeon is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the White-bellied Imperial Pigeon migrate?
The White-bellied Imperial Pigeon is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the White-bellied Imperial 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 White-bellied Imperial Pigeon make?
1 real field recording of the White-bellied Imperial 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 White-bellied Imperial Pigeon's range?
The White-bellied Imperial Pigeon has a mapped global range of about 146,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Columbidae
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Near Threatened
More in Pigeons & Doves
Least Concern
Least Concern
Extinct
Extinct
Not Evaluated
Critically Endangered
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.