Alternative names: Rarotonga(n) Fruit Dove; Lilac-crowned Fruit Dove
- Ptilinopus rarotongensis
Identification
20-24cm
- Pale grey chest, head and upper back
- Magenta crown
- Green lower back and underparts
- Yellow edged wing feathers
- Pale greenish-brown bill
Sexes similar
Juveniles: no red patches on belly and crown
Distribution
Cook Islands endemic.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
There are 2 subspecies[1]:
- P. r. rarotongensis: magenta patch on yellow belly
- Rarotonga (Cook Islands)
- P. r. goodwini: pale green-yellow belly
- Atiu (southern Cook Islands)
Habitat
Lowland moist forest.
Behaviour
Diet
The diet includes mainly fruit though some small insects are also taken.
Breeding
It builds a nest from twigs. The single egg is incubated by both parents. The young fledge after about 16 days.
References
- Clements, JF. 2010. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2010. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/Clements%206.5.xls/view
- Wikipedia
- ARKive
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Cook Islands Fruit Dove. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 13 March 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Cook_Islands_Fruit_Dove
