Superb Fruit-dove - profile

Scientific name: Ptilinopus superbus 
 Conservation status in NSW: Vulnerable

Description

The Superb Fruit-dove is a small pigeon, approximately 24 cm in length. The male is brightly coloured, with golden-green upperparts, a brilliant orange-vermilion neck, and a rich purple crown. The tail is short and tipped with white. The throat and breast are grey with a lilac tinge, and a broad black band on the lower breast separates the grey breast from the creamy-white belly and green flanks. The female is light green on the back, has a small purple spot on the crown, and no dark breast band. The call is a distinctive cooing, rising in pitch and volume to a loud and clear ‘whoop, whoop’. Also gives a low ‘oom’ in a steady sequence.

Location and habitat

Distribution
 The Superb Fruit-dove occurs principally from north-eastern in Queensland to north-eastern NSW. It is much less common further south, where it is largely confined to pockets of suitable habitat as far south as Moruya. There are records of vagrants as far south as eastern Victoria and Tasmania.

• Inhabits rainforest and similar closed forests where it forages high in the canopy, eating the fruits of many tree species such as figs and palms. It may also forage in eucalypt or acacia woodland where there are fruit-bearing trees.
• Part of the population is migratory or nomadic. There are records of single birds flying into lighted windows and lighthouses, indicating that birds travel at night. At least some of the population, particularly young birds, moves south through Sydney, especially in autumn.
• Breeding takes place from September to January. The nest is a structure of fine interlocked forked twigs, giving a stronger structure than its flimsy appearance would suggest, and is usually 5-30 metres up in rainforest and rainforest edge tree and shrub species.
• The male incubates the single egg by day, the female incubates at night.

Regional information
This species is found in the following catchment management authority regions. Click on a region name to see more details about the distribution, vegetation types and habitat preference of the species in that region.

• Hawkesbury/Nepean
• Hunter/Central Rivers
• Northern Rivers
• Southern Rivers

Threats

• Clearing and degradation of rainforest remnants.

Recovery strategies

Priority actions are the specific, practical things that must be done to recover a threatened species, population or ecological community. The Department of Environment and Conservation has identified 16 priority actions to help recover the Superb Fruit-dove in New South Wales.

What needs to be done to recover this species?

• Retain and protect rainforest remnants.

References

• Higgins, P. and Davies, S. (eds.) (1996) Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds Volume 3: Snipe to Pigeons. Oxford University Press, Melbourne.
• Pizzey, G. and Knight, F. (2003) The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia 7th Edition. Menkhorst, P. (ed). HarperCollins.