It has a red crown, whitish throat, a greenish-yellow bill and purplish-red feet. It has a blue-grey breast and yellowish orange belly, with a reddish purple patch in between. Both sexes are similar, but female with less extensive purple and orange belly. Juveniles lack cap.
Not Threatened.
It has a red crown, whitish throat, a greenish-yellow bill and purplish-red feet. It has a blue-grey breast and yellowish orange belly, with a reddish purple patch in between. Both sexes are similar, but female with less extensive purple and orange belly. Juveniles lack cap.
It is a small 68-76 g in weight; approximately 19 cm long, mainly green fruit dove
Taxonomy:
- Columba pulchella Temminck, 1835, Lobo Bay, New Guinea. Has affinities with the large P. purpuratus species-group; considered to be most closely allied to P.coronulatus. Races hardly differ and doubtfully valid. Two subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * pulchellus (Temminck, 1835) - W Papuan Is and New Guinea (except NC). * decorus (Madarász, 1910) - N New Guinea from E shore of Geelvink Bay E to Astrolabe Bay.
The Beautiful Fruit-dove is distributed in rainforests of New Guinea and the islands of Batanta, Waigeo, Salawati and Misool in West Papua, Indonesia. In primary and secondary forest at medium altitude.
Active and acrobatic when feeding on various fruit. Its diet consists mainly of various fruits from trees, palms and vines. In the Port Moresby area, birds were found to eat a mixed diet in May.
The female usually lays a single white egg. Active nest have been found in June-August. Nest is loose slight platform of twigs.