pheasant pigeon

The genus name makes reference to its similarities to the bustard family (Otidae). Its common name reflects its adaptation to living on the forest floor in the fashion of a South East Asian pheasant.

Commonly, there are four subspecies recognized that differ primarily in the presence or absence of a small crest and in the colour of the nape:{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | year=2018 | title=Pigeons | work=World Bird List Version 8.1 | url=http://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/pigeons/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | accessdate=4 February 2018 }}

• White-naped pheasant pigeon (O. n. aruensis) – Rothschild, 1928: Found on the Aru Islands, Vulnerable{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2016 |title=Otidiphaps aruensis |volume=2016 |page=e.T22728031A94968761 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22728031A94968761.en |access-date=18 November 2021}}
• Green-naped pheasant pigeon (O. n. nobilis) – Gould, 1870: Found on western New Guinea, Batanta and Waigeo Islands, Least concern.
• Grey-naped pheasant pigeon (O. n. cervicalis) – Ramsay, EP, 1880: Found on eastern and south-eastern New Guinea, Least concern.{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International. |year=2024 |title=Otidiphaps cervicalis |volume=2024 |page=e.T22725258A264163903 |doi= |access-date=1 November 2024}}
• Black-naped pheasant pigeon (O. n. insularis) – Salvin & Godman, 1883: Found on Fergusson Island, Critically Endangered.{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2021 |title=Otidiphaps insularis |volume=2021 |page=e.T22726273A216252040 |url=https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22726273/216252040 |access-date=21 November 2022 }}

Some authors, however, recognize the four subspecies as four different species, a classification scheme followed by the IUCN.Comparison of IOC 8.1 with other world lists, by IOC World Bird List: http://www.worldbirdnames.org/ioc-lists/master-list-2/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161002144028/http://www.worldbirdnames.org/ |date=2016-10-02 }}

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The pheasant pigeon resembles a pheasant in external morphology, particularly in its laterally compressed tail and rounded wings. They have glossy black heads, undersides, rears and lower backs, and short rounded brown wings, and a white, green, grey, or black nape depending on the subspecies.{{Cite book |last=Goodwin |first=Derek |title=Pigeons and Doves of the World |publisher=Cornell Univ Pr |year=1983 |isbn=0-8014-1434-2 |edition=3rd |pages=238-239}}

The pheasant pigeon has filled the ecological niche of a partridge or small pheasant (while the larger Goura crowned pigeons have a lifestyle similar to larger pheasants, grouse or turkeys). It is a highly secretive species, feeding on seeds and fallen fruits. It inhabits hill and montane areas, however, it is also known to inhabit lower altitudes. It nests on the ground below trees and bushes, laying one egg that it incubates for around four weeks. Both adults incubate and look after the young, feeding regurgitated crop milk to their young (a common practice for most pigeons).

They have a range of calls including a drilling-like sound, a typical pigeon cooing call and a loud "wu-huwoooooa" call that rises and falls in pitch before trailing off at the end.{{Cite web |last=Chukar |date=2022-11-21 |title=Black-naped Pheasant-Pigeon Rediscovered after 140 years |url=https://smbasblog.com/2022/11/21/black-naped-pheasant-pigeon-rediscovered-after-140-years/ |access-date=2025-03-05 |website=SANTA MONICA BAY AUDUBON SOCIETY BLOG |language=en}}

They are found in rainforest habitats, eating fallen fruits and seeds, in the Aru Islands. As they avoid human settlements, the little that is known about their behavior comes from observation at zoos.

pheasant pigeon arp.jpg|O. n. nobilis

Pheasant Pigeon RWD.jpg|O. n. nobilis in a zoo

OtidiphapsInsularisKeulemans.jpg|O. n. insularis

Otidiphaps nobilis.jpg|Captive O. n. aruensis (vulnerable)

The species is believed to be slowly declining due to deforestation of their habitats from pressure for logging and agricultural space. Because it is tied to primary forests, and is unique within the pigeon family, it is considered a genus that requires further investigation and monitoring. The green-naped pheasant pigeon (nominate subspecies) and the grey-naped pheasant pigeon are not considered threatened, but the black-naped pheasant pigeon is considered critically endangered and the white-naped pheasant pigeon is vulnerable. The black-naped pheasant pigeon was for a long time known to science only from the type specimen collected in 1882,{{Cite journal|last1=Gregg|first1=Jason|last2=Nason|first2=Doka|last3=Boersma|first3=Jordan|date=September 2020|title=Survey of the montane avifauna of Fergusson Island, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea|journal=Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club|volume=140|issue=3|pages=309–320|doi=10.25226/bboc.v140i3.2020.a4|s2cid=221823968|issn=0007-1595|doi-access=free}} and for the ensuing 140 years thought to be extinct,{{Cite web|last=Leonard|first=Pat|website=Cornell Lab of Ornithology|url=https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2022/11/lost-pigeon-found-after-more-century|title=Lost pigeon found after more than a century|date=17 November 2022}} but was then captured with a trail camera in late 2022 by researchers on Fergusson Island.{{Cite web |last=Kobilinsky |first=Dana |date=2022-11-21 |title=Watch: Rare bird recorded after 140 year-absence to science |url=https://wildlife.org/watch-rare-bird-recorded-after-140-year-absence-to-science/ |access-date=2023-09-04 |website=The Wildlife Society |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-09-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230904204304/https://wildlife.org/watch-rare-bird-recorded-after-140-year-absence-to-science/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Sottile |first1=Zoe |title=This bird hadn't been documented by scientists since 1882. Then they captured video of it in Papua New Guinea |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2022/11/19/world/black-naped-pheasant-pigeon-scn-trnd/index.html |website=CNN |date=19 November 2022 |access-date=20 November 2022}}

{{Reflist}}

• del Hoyo, Elliott and Sargatal (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol 4. {{ISBN|84-87334-22-9}},

{{Columbimorphae Genera|C.|state=collapsed}}

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pheasant pigeon

Category:Birds of New Guinea

Category:Columbidae