The Nicobar pigeon ( Caloenas nicobarica) is a unique and striking bird species found primarily in Southeast Asia and Oceania. This bird, with its iridescent plumage and robust build, is far from an ordinary pigeon. The Nicobar pigeon is the only extant member of the genus Caloenas, setting it apart with its impressive size and colorful plumage. Recent DNA studies show that the closest living relative of the extinct Dodo bird is the Nicobar pigeon.
Classification and Distribution
- Classification: Animals, Birds
- Order: Columbiformes
- Family: Columbidae
- Genus: Caloenas
- Species: nicobarica
The Nicobar pigeon is native to the Nicobar Islands in the Indian Ocean and nearby regions. It is found on small islands and coastal regions from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India, east through the Malay Archipelago, to the Solomons and Palau. Their range extends through Southeast Asia, mainly in the Nicobar Islands, to New Guinea and other islands of the Indo-Australian Region, reaching as far north as the Philippines.
- Habitat: Rainforests, dry forests, mangroves, and shrubland.
They inhabit dense tropical forests, mangroves, and coastal areas. Nicobar pigeons prefer areas with access to freshwater sources and abundant fruit-bearing trees where they can roost and find food. These birds live on islands in the Indian Ocean where it’s warm and there are lots of trees and bushes. They like places with fresh water and trees with lots of fruits where they can sleep and find food.
Physical Characteristics
These birds typically measure about 40-44 cm (16-17 inches) in length, making them one of the larger species of pigeons. The Nicobar pigeon has developed a bright plumage; their head is grey, like the upper neck plumage, which turns into green and copper hackles. The tail is very short and pure white. The rest of their plumage is metallic green.
Their most striking feature is their glossy feathers, which shimmer in iridescent blues, greens, and coppers, particularly around the neck and head. These vibrant colors are complemented by long hackles on the neck, giving the birds a regal appearance. The bird has a somewhat pigeon-like body but with a more tropical appearance. It also has a bare, blue skin patch around the eyes and a large, slightly hooked beak. The cere of the dark bill forms a small blackish knob; the strong legs and feet are dull red. Females are slightly smaller than males; they have a smaller bill knob, shorter hackles, and browner underparts.
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One of the most unique physical characteristics of the Nicobar pigeon is its thick, hooked beak and the black mask around its eyes, which gives it a somewhat stern expression. This beak is not just for show; it is a crucial tool that helps the bird crack open hard seeds and fruits, which constitute the bulk of its diet. Have a strong muscular gizzard.
Key characteristics:
- Appearance: The Nicobar pigeon is medium-sized, measuring about 40-44 cm (16-17 inches) in length. Its most remarkable feature is its iridescent plumage, which can range from metallic green to blue, along with a white tail and a characteristic silvery sheen on the wings.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Nicobar Pigeons have a varied diet that includes fruits, seeds, and small invertebrates like insects and crustaceans. They are primarily frugivorous, meaning they mainly eat fruits found on the ground or in trees. They also forage along coastal areas where they can find molluscs and other small marine creatures. Their strong beaks help them crack open tough shells to access their food. Nicobar Pigeons eat lots of fruits like berries and seeds they find on the ground and in trees. Sometimes they even eat small bugs and sea creatures like crabs they find along the beach.
- Wild Diet: Hard seeds, fruits, & insects
- Zoo Diet: Grain, seeds, fruit
Nicobar pigeons are herbivores (granivores, frugivores).
Can be found feeding on the forest floor and spends a great deal of time on the ground. Most active feeding takes place at dawn & dusk.
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Behavior and Social Structure
Nicobar pigeons are highly nomadic and roam in flocks from island to island, usually sleeping on offshore islets where no predators occur; they spend the day in areas with better food availability, not shying away from areas inhabited by humans.
Most active feeding takes place at dawn & dusk.
- Behavior: Can be found feeding on the forest floor and spends a great deal of time on the ground. Most active feeding takes place at dawn & dusk.
- Nomadic. Move about in large flocks, up to 85 birds, during the day and roost together at night, less active in mid-day when it can be found perching from the middle to top levels of the trees.
- Vocalization characterized as a cooing sound.
- Their flight is characterized as being strong and swift.
Nicobar pigeons are most active at dawn and dusk and prefer to feed singly or in pairs. Although these birds spend most of their time on the forest floor, they are powerful flyers; their flight is quick, with regular beats and an occasional sharp flick of the wings, as is characteristic of pigeons in general. Unlike other pigeons, groups of Nicobar pigeons tend to fly in columns or single file, not in a loose flock. The white tail is prominent in flight when seen from behind and may serve as a sort of "taillight", keeping flocks together when crossing the sea at dawn or dusk.
These pigeons are social birds, often seen in small flocks or pairs, and communicate through soft cooing calls. Nicobar Pigeons have shiny feathers that can be green, purple, or coppery like a rainbow. They can fly really far between islands where they live, looking for food and new places to live. These pigeons like to be with their friends and talk to each other with soft sounds that sound like they’re saying hello.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Nicobar pigeons, like many other pigeons, have a defined courtship display. The usually quiet birds, do make a deep cooing sound, and the males begin courtship with a loud cooing and displaying towards the female.
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As breeding season advances the display turns to a bowing motion from the male towards the female, and after a few days he begins to gather materials which the female uses to build a nest.
Tend to nest and roost on Islands not inhabited by humans, but will flock to larger islands to search for food.
The nest is normally built in brushy areas, between 2 - 12 meters off the ground. They lay one to two eggs, which are elliptical in shape and white, with a faint bluish tint. Both the male and the female share the duties incubating the egg for about 30 days. Males and females usually mate for life. (monogamous)
During the breeding season, Nicobar Pigeons form monogamous pairs. The males perform courtship displays to attract females, which may involve puffing up their chest feathers and cooing softly. Females typically lay one egg in a simple nest made from twigs and leaves, usually placed on the ground or in low vegetation. Both parents take turns incubating the egg for about 4 weeks until it hatches. These pigeons find a special friend and do a little dance to show they like each other. The mummy pigeon makes a nest from sticks and leaves on the ground or in a low bush and lays one egg.
Nicobar pigeons are monogamous, and it is believed that pairs mate for life. Their breeding season varies with location but usually occurs from January to March. Nicobar pigeons nest in dense forests on offshore islets, often in large colonies. They build a loose stick nest in a tree usually in undisturbed sites or just below the canopy. The female lays one elliptical faintly blue-tinged white egg, and both parents incubate it for around 2.5 weeks.
Chicks are “altricial”, meaning they are almost completely helpless when hatching. It takes about 10 days before feathers (down) forms. Parent share in the duties of keeping them warm. The female feeds them a regurgitated fluid known as “crop milk” until they are big enough to gradually be shifted over to seed and fruit.
Chicks are able to fend for themselves about a month later.
- Reproduction:
- Nicobar pigeons, like many other pigeons, have a defined courtship display. The usually quiet birds make a deep cooing sound, and the males begin courtship with a loud cooing and displaying towards the female.
- As breeding season advances, the display turns to a bowing motion from the male towards the female. After a few days, he begins to gather materials which the female uses to build a nest.
- Tend to nest and roost on islands not inhabited by humans but will flock to larger islands to search for food.
- The nest is normally built in brushy areas, between 2 - 12 meters off the ground. They lay one to two eggs, which are elliptical in shape and white, with a faint bluish tint. Both the male and the female share the duties of incubating the egg for about 30 days. Males and females usually mate for life (monogamous).
- Chicks are “altricial,” meaning they are almost completely helpless when hatching. It takes about 10 days before feathers (down) form. Parents share in the duties of keeping them warm. The female feeds them a regurgitated fluid known as “crop milk” until they are big enough to gradually be shifted over to seed and fruit.
- Chicks can fend for themselves about a month later.
- Life Expectancy: Unknown
Conservation Status and Threats
- Conservation Status: Near Threatened
Nicobar pigeons are hunted in considerable numbers for food and also for their gizzard stone (a rock held inside a bird's stomach) which is used in jewelry. The species is also trapped for the local pet market, although such trade is generally illegal.
Nicobar pigeons are also threatened by the decrease of the available nesting habitat. The offshore islets which they require are often logged for plantations, destroyed by construction activity, or polluted by nearby industry or harbors. Also, increased travel introduces predators to more and more of the breeding sites, and colonies of the Nicobar pigeon may be driven to desert such locations or be destroyed outright.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the total population size of the Nicobar pigeon. According to the Wikipedia resource, there are only 1,000 adult birds occur in Palau (island country).
Nicobar Pigeons in Captivity
Nicobar Pigeons are occasionally found in zoos due to their striking appearance and unique behaviours. They require aviaries that resemble their natural habitat, with plenty of vegetation and areas to explore. Nicobar Pigeons are sometimes seen in zoos because they look so pretty and are fun to watch. They need a big home with lots of trees and places to explore, just like their real home in the jungle.