Brown cuckoo-dove

Macropygia amboinensis

Photo by Julian Robinson (Tree of Life)

Common name:

brown cuckoo-dove (en); rola-cuco-castanha (pt); phasianelle d'Amboine (fr); tórtola-cuco pechirrosa (es); dunkle kuckuckstaube (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Columbiformes

Family Columbidae

Range:

This species is found from the Philippines, south through Borneo and Sumatra, through the Moluccas and Sulawesi into New Guinea. They are also found in Australia, throughout north-eastern and eastern Queensland, including off-shore islands, and eastern coastal areas of New South Wales.

Size:

The brown cuckoo-dove is 35-43 cm long and weighs 240 g.

Habitat:

This species is mostly found in rainforests and wet sclerophyll forests, particularly at the forest edges, along creeks and rivers. They can also be found in secondary growth forests, forest clearings and in abandoned farmland and scrubland.

Diet:

The brown cuckoo-dove feeds on a wide variety of fruits, berries and seeds. They usually feed in the trees, often hanging upside down to reach fruit.

Breeding:

This species mostly breeds in July-December, but probably all year round. The nest consists of a flat platform of twigs, sticks and vines, placed either in a fork of a tree or on top of a low tree. There the female lays 1-2 creamy white eggs which are incubated by both parents for 16-18 days. The chicks are cared for by both parents and fledge about 16 days after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has a very large breeding range and, although the global population size has not been quantified, the species is described as frequent to common. The population is suspected to be stable and may be expanding in range as it may benefit from disturbance to habitat by logging and track-making.