Definitions
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- proper noun A taxonomic
genus within thefamily Columbidae — the imperial pigeons.
Etymologies
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Examples
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Pale-capped pigeon Columba punicea (VU) in the evergreen forest, green peafowl Pavo muticus (VU) and silver oriole Oriolus mellianus (VU) in the dipterocarp/deciduous forest and masked finfoot Heliopais personata (VU) from the riverside are resident. 53 species are considered nationally threatened or near threatened, including four species of hornbill, Siamese fireback pheasant Lophura diardi, the rare silver pheasant Lophura nycthemera and the mountain imperial pigeon Ducula badia.
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A few larger birds are still present in Khao Ang Ru Nai, including, at least until the early 1990s, up to five pairs of woolly-necked stork (Ciconia episcopus, the last such remaining in Thailand), pompadour pigeon (Treron pompadora), and green imperial pigeon (Ducula aenea).
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These two near-endemic species (Table 2), the spice imperial-pigeon (Ducula myristicivora) and the green-backed robin (Pachycephalopsis hattamensis), are also found on the mainland.
Yapen rain forests 2008
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A few green imperial pigeons (Ducula aenea) were still present in Mae Yom National Park in 1991.
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Some of the vertebrate species of New Caledonia stand out for being unique in size: the New Caledonian imperial-pigeon (Ducula goliath) is the largest arboreal pigeon in the world, Rhacodactylus leachianus is the world's largest gecko, and the giant skink (Phoboscincus bocourti) is the largest skink, although it has not been seen since the 1870s and may be extinct.
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The beautiful notou pigeon (Ducula goliath) is the only member of a genus endemic to New Caledonia.
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Four additional bird species are endangered: imitator sparrowhawk (Accipiter imitator), Woodford's rail (Nesoclopeus woodfordi), chestnut-bellied imperial pigeon (Ducula rubricera), and white-eyed starling (Aplonis brunneicapilla).
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Other distinctive bird species include the endemic New Caledonia imperial-pigeon (Ducula goliath), which is the world's largest arboreal pigeon, the endemic cloven-feathered dove (Drepanoptila holosericea), the New Caledonian owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles savesi, CR) known from only a few specimens, and most recently from an individual seen in 1998 in the Ni Riviere Valley.
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There are no forest passerines and the Pacific pigeon (Ducula pacifica) and migratory long-tailed cuckoo (Eudynamis taitensis) are the only forest birds present anywhere in the islands although banded rails (Rallus philippensis) have recently colonized Nuilakita, Tuvalu from Fiji.
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All of these islands are depauperate of native landbirds; Kiribati and Tuvalu share Pacific pigeon (Ducula pacifica) while the Line Islands do not (but contain 2 restricted-range bird species).
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