Chalcophaps stephani

General description: 

Similar to C. indica but smaller and with rounded tail. General coloration chesnutbrown, darkest on the scapulars and central R, crown and nape with bluish purple iridescence emerald to bronzy green. outermost R grey, sometimes chesnut with black subterminal bar, other R entirely chesnut with black subterminal bar, lower back blackish brown crossed by two buffish binds, underwing chesnut, iris dark brown, bill orange or red, rd and feet purplish red. Female has forehead grey with less iridescence on head and neck, which are browner. Juvenile has reduced areas of iridescence on mantle and wings, body plumage barred with black.

Conservation status: 

Not Threatened.

Diagnostic description: 

Similar to C. indica but smaller and with rounded tail. General coloration chesnutbrown, darkest on the scapulars and central R, crown and nape with bluish purple iridescence emerald to bronzy green. outermost R grey, sometimes chesnut with black subterminal bar, other R entirely chesnut with black subterminal bar, lower back blackish brown crossed by two buffish binds, underwing chesnut, iris dark brown, bill orange or red, rd and feet purplish red. Female has forehead grey with less iridescence on head and neck, which are browner. Juvenile has reduced areas of iridescence on mantle and wings, body plumage barred with black.

Behaviour: 

Size: 

24-25 cm, 118-126 g

Phylogeny: 

Taxonomy:

    Chalcophaps stephani Pucheran, 1853, Triton Bay, New Guinea. Genus shows affinities to both Australian bronzewings (Phaps and allies) and African spotwinged doves (Turtur). Present species closely related to C. indica. Validity of race wallacei has been queried, but appears to be valid. Three subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Distribution: 

Subspecies and Distribution:

    * wallacei Brüggemann, 1877 - Sulawesi and Sula Is (Taliabu). * stephani Pucheran, 1853 - Kai, Aru and W Papuan Is through New Guinea (with Yapen I and Karkar I) to Bismarck Archipelago (including Admiralty and Lihir Is) and D'Entrecasteaux Is . * mortoni E. P. Ramsay, 1882 - Solomon Is (Bougainville to San Cristobal and Santa Ana).
Habitat: 

Inhabits humid evergreen forest interior and dry secondary coastal forest. Secondary forest in PNG. In lowlands up to 700 m, locally up to 1200. May occur sympatricly with C. indica, but C. indica occupies forest edges and C.stephani edges at that case.

Trophic strategy: 

Spend much time on the ground, taking seeds, fallen fruits and probably insect. Sometimes wisit collonies of Shining Starling where feed on seeds diggested by them.

Reproduction: 

Season not known. nest of twigs resting on an accumulation of dead leaves and debris, usually near gorund level.

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith