Macropygia amboinensis
Forehead and face dark, orange-brown decoming reddish brown on crown, UnP mostly reddish, darker on W-C which are blackish with reddish tips, P and S brownish black, outer webs with narrow rusty or tawny edges, sides and back of neck, and mantle rusty brown with fine fine blackish flecks. Neck feather with with silvery green or silvery pink fringes, throat pale brown, breast golden brown suffused pink, narrow black bars and brownish black tips to feather giving breast motted effect. Belly and UnT chesnut. Central R dark reddish brown, shorter outer R with black subterminal band. Iris grey or blue with an outer ring of red, orange or yellow. Bill brown or black. Female more heavily barred and redded above, irirescence of neck feather absent, forehead and crown re-brown, speckled black, wing coverts blackish with broad rust or red-brown fringes, hindneck and upper mantle red-brown with with fine dark vermiculations, pale streak beneath the eye, absent in male. Juvenile similar to female but mantle feathers with subterminal bars and rusty fringes.
Not Threatened.
Forehead and face dark, orange-brown decoming reddish brown on crown, UnP mostly reddish, darker on W-C which are blackish with reddish tips, P and S brownish black, outer webs with narrow rusty or tawny edges, sides and back of neck, and mantle rusty brown with fine fine blackish flecks. Neck feather with with silvery green or silvery pink fringes, throat pale brown, breast golden brown suffused pink, narrow black bars and brownish black tips to feather giving breast motted effect. Belly and UnT chesnut. Central R dark reddish brown, shorter outer R with black subterminal band. Iris grey or blue with an outer ring of red, orange or yellow. Bill brown or black. Female more heavily barred and redded above, irirescence of neck feather absent, forehead and crown re-brown, speckled black, wing coverts blackish with broad rust or red-brown fringes, hindneck and upper mantle red-brown with with fine dark vermiculations, pale streak beneath the eye, absent in male. Juvenile similar to female but mantle feathers with subterminal bars and rusty fringes.
34-37 cm, 107-179 g
Taxonomy:
- Columba amboinensis Linnaeus, 1766, Ambon. May form superspecies with M. phasianella, M. magna, M. rufipennis, M. tenuirostris and M. emiliana, and all six sometimes considered conspecific; various other combinations proposed, with M. phasianella and M. magna normally considered to be the forms closest to present species; further studies are required in order to clarify precise relationships within this complex. Validity of some races, notably kerstingi, has been questioned; delimitation of subspecific ranges also unclear in several cases. Fifteen subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * sanghirensis Salvadori, 1878 - Talaud Is and Sangihe Is (Sangihe, Siau, Tahulandang, Ruang). * albicapilla Bonaparte, 1854 - Sulawesi and islands offNE (Manadotua, Manterawu, Bangka, Lembeh) and SE (Muna, Butung, Tukangbesi Is), Banggai Is (Peleng) and Sula Is. * batchianensis Wallace, 1865 - N Moluccas, on Morotai, Halmehera, Bacan, Obi, Kasiruta, Kayoa and Ternate. * amboinensis (Linnaeus, 1766) - S Moluccas, on Buru, Seram, Ambon and Seram Laut. * keyensis Salvadori, 1876 - Kai Is (SE Moluccas). * doreya Bonaparte, 1854 - W Papuan Is (Waigeo, Misool, Kofiao, Salawati, Batanta) and NW New Guinea E to Geelvink Bay. * maforensis Salvadori, 1878 - Numfor I (Geelvink Bay). * griseinucha Salvadori, 1876 - Mios Num I (Geelvink Bay). * kerstingi Reichenow, 1897 - Yapen I (Geelvink Bay) and N coast of New Guinea from Memberano to Astrolobe Bay. * goldiei Salvadori, 1893 - S coast of SE New Guinea from Merauke region to Milne Bay. * meeki Rothschild & Hartert, 1915 - Manam I, offNE New Guinea. * carteretia Bonaparte, 1854 - Bismarck Archipelago (except New Hanover) and Lihir Is. * hueskeri Neumann, 1922 - New Hanover. * cinereiceps Tristram, 1889 - D'Entrecasteaux Is.
Forest egdes in gallery woodland, isolated tree groups an grasslands, forest secondary growth and gardens. In PNG mainland occurs sea level up to 1800, locally to 2100. Usually singly or in pairs.
Small fruit, seeds and nuts, grass seeds have been recorded in grizzard. In PF it is found feeding in middle to canopy level. In other habitats mostly on low trees. Know to feed on grid on the ground ocassionaly.
Little data, but perhaps breeds all year round, pair displaying in Mar-Apr in PNG. 9 cm deep, 25-30 cm across, and 1-4.6 m above ground.Nest is a large and made of twigs and sticks, as well as leaf and fern. No info on ovements.