Macropygia rufipennis
The Andaman Cuckoo-Dove (Macropygia rufipennis) is a strikingly beautiful and slender pigeon, endemic to the lush forests of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal. Measuring approximately 30-34 cm in length, with a long, graduated tail, its most defining characteristic is its rich, rufous-chestnut plumage. Males typically exhibit a brighter, more uniform rufous coloration, often with a subtle iridescent green and pink sheen on the nape and hindneck, while females tend to be sli...
Found primarily in dense evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, but also adapts to secondary growth, bamboo thickets, and even mature plantations, from sea level up to moderate elevations across its island range.
Primarily frugivorous, consuming a variety of fruits and berries gleaned directly from trees. Its diet also includes seeds found within fruits.
This cuckoo-dove is typically shy and often solitary or encountered in pairs, though small groups may congregate at abundant fruiting trees. It is diurnal, with foraging activity concentrated during the day. Its foraging strategy involves gleaning fruits and berries directly from trees, favoring ...
The Andaman Cuckoo-Dove is strictly endemic to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, an archipelago in the Bay of Bengal, part of India. Its distribution encompasses virtually all the larger islands within the archipelago, including North, Middle, and South Andaman, Little Andaman, Great Nicobar, Car ...
Least Concern
- The Andaman Cuckoo-Dove is one of only two cuckoo-dove species found in India, the other being the Little Cuckoo-Dove (Macropygia ruficeps). - Its scientific name 'rufipennis' directly translates to 'red-winged,' referring to its prominent rufous plumage. - Despite being common within its limit...