Photo: Francesco Veronesi / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Dark-backed Imperial Pigeon
Ducula lacernulata
Dark-backed Imperial Pigeon (Ducula lacernulata) — Pigeons & Doves of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Dark-backed Imperial Pigeon (Ducula lacernulata) is a member of the Columbidae family found in Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 150 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 lacernulata
Where it lives
Montane Java, Bali and Lombok to Flores (western, central Lesser Sundas)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 150 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Columbidae
- Order
- Columbiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Dark-backed 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 Dark-backed Imperial Pigeon is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Dark-backed Imperial Pigeon (Ducula lacernulata) belongs to the Columbidae family of the order Columbiformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR, AU montane Java, Bali and Lombok to Flores (w, c Lesser Sundas).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 150 g, with a wing length of about 20.8 cm and a tail of around 14.9 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 69,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Dark-backed Imperial Pigeon?
The Dark-backed Imperial Pigeon is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 150 g.
Where does the Dark-backed Imperial Pigeon live?
The Dark-backed Imperial Pigeon is found across Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR, AU montane Java, Bali and Lombok to Flores (w, c Lesser Sundas), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Dark-backed Imperial Pigeon belong to?
The Dark-backed Imperial Pigeon (Ducula lacernulata) belongs to the Columbidae family, in the order Columbiformes.
What does the Dark-backed Imperial Pigeon eat?
The Dark-backed Imperial Pigeon is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Dark-backed Imperial Pigeon migrate?
The Dark-backed Imperial Pigeon is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Dark-backed 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 Dark-backed Imperial Pigeon make?
1 real field recording of the Dark-backed Imperial Pigeon can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Dark-backed Imperial Pigeon's range?
The Dark-backed Imperial Pigeon has a mapped global range of about 69,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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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.