Photo: Andrew Wilkinson / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon
Ducula rufigaster
Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon (Ducula rufigaster) — 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 Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon (Ducula rufigaster) is a member of the Columbidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 436 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 rufigaster
Where it lives
Raja Ampat Is. (northwest of New Guinea), Yapen (Geelvink Bay is., northwestern New Guinea) and New Guinea
Quick facts
- Weight
- 436 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Columbidae
- Order
- Columbiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Purple-tailed 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 Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon (Ducula rufigaster) is a member of the Columbidae family, within the order Columbiformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Raja Ampat Is. (nw of New Guinea), Yapen (Geelvink Bay is., nw New Guinea) and New Guinea.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 436 g, with a wing length of about 19.7 cm and a tail of around 10.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 671,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon?
The Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon is a large bird that weighs around 436 g.
Where does the Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon live?
The Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Raja Ampat Is. (nw of New Guinea), Yapen (Geelvink Bay is., nw New Guinea) and New Guinea, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon belong to?
The Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon (Ducula rufigaster) belongs to the Columbidae family, in the order Columbiformes.
What does the Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon eat?
The Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon migrate?
The Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Purple-tailed 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 Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon make?
1 real field recording of the Purple-tailed 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 Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon's range?
The Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon has a mapped global range of about 671,000 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.