Photo: Seshadri.K.S / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Malabar Imperial Pigeon
Ducula cuprea
Malabar Imperial Pigeon (Ducula cuprea) — 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 Malabar Imperial Pigeon (Ducula cuprea) is a member of the Columbidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 486 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 cuprea
Quick facts
- Weight
- 486 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Columbidae
- Order
- Columbiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Malabar 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 Malabar Imperial Pigeon is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Malabar Imperial Pigeon (Ducula cuprea) is a member of the Columbidae family, within the order Columbiformes. Its range spans South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR sw India.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 486 g, with a wing length of about 22.8 cm and a tail of around 15.7 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 76,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Malabar Imperial Pigeon?
The Malabar Imperial Pigeon is a large bird that weighs around 486 g.
Where does the Malabar Imperial Pigeon live?
The Malabar Imperial Pigeon is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR sw India, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Malabar Imperial Pigeon belong to?
The Malabar Imperial Pigeon (Ducula cuprea) belongs to the Columbidae family, in the order Columbiformes.
What does the Malabar Imperial Pigeon eat?
The Malabar Imperial Pigeon is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Malabar Imperial Pigeon migrate?
The Malabar Imperial Pigeon is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Malabar 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 Malabar Imperial Pigeon make?
1 real field recording of the Malabar Imperial Pigeon — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Malabar Imperial Pigeon's range?
The Malabar Imperial Pigeon has a mapped global range of about 76,000 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.