Smallest fruit dove, generally green with yellow edges to secondaries and scapulars forming three yellow bands on closed wing, inner wing-coverts and inner secondaries tending to a more bluish green, this colour being most pronounced on scapulars, a dark purple patch on belly, a grey patch each side of upper brest and bright yellow lower abdomen and undertail-coverts, bill yellowish green, legs purplish red. Female similar but lacks purple patch on belly and grey on breast. Juvenile like female but with yellow fringes to most feathers.
Not Threatened.
Smallest fruit dove, generally green with yellow edges to secondaries and scapulars forming three yellow bands on closed wing, inner wing-coverts and inner secondaries tending to a more bluish green, this colour being most pronounced on scapulars, a dark purple patch on belly, a grey patch each side of upper brest and bright yellow lower abdomen and undertail-coverts, bill yellowish green, legs purplish red. Female similar but lacks purple patch on belly and grey on breast. Juvenile like female but with yellow fringes to most feathers.
13-15 cm, 49 g. Smallest fruit dove
Taxonomy:
- Columba naina [sic] Temminck, 1835, Lobo Bay, New Guinea. Affinities uncertain; has been placed in the species-group which includes P. iozonus, P. insolitus, P.hyogaster, P. granulifrons and perhaps P. melanospila; however, inclusion in this group may not be supported by available evidence. Races probably represent no more than the extremes of a W-E size cline. Species name emended by Temminck himself in a subsequent publication. Two subspecies tentatively recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * minimus Stresemann & Paludan, 1932 - W Papuan Is, on Waigeo, Misool, Batanta and Salawati. * nanus (Temminck, 1835) - S New Guinea from Lobo Bay to Port Moresby.
Inhabits forest, also visits fruiting trees in clearings and partly cleared areas. Occurs in lowlands and hills up to 1100 m.
Frugivorous, but little detailed information available, 8 birds collected had eaten only figs.
Nest found Sept and Nov. A nest under construction was located 12 m up in the outer foliage of small tree another nest was 3 m above ground.