Ptilinopus holosericea
The Cloven-feathered Dove, Ptilinopus holosericea, is a strikingly beautiful, medium-sized fruit dove native to the forests of New Guinea and its surrounding islands. Reaching lengths of 24-27 cm and weighing 120-150g, its plumage is a vibrant tapestry of greens, purplish-pink, and yellow. Key field marks include a pristine white cap, a distinctive magenta-purplish breast patch, and bright yellow undertail coverts that give it its 'cloven-feathered' moniker. Taxonomically, it belongs to the g...
Found primarily in tropical and subtropical moist lowland and montane forests, this species also adapts to secondary growth. It occurs from sea level up to approximately 2,000 meters in elevation.
Strictly frugivorous, it consumes a wide variety of small to medium-sized fruits and berries, which it swallows whole. It primarily forages in the tree canopy.
Typically a diurnal and arboreal species, the Cloven-feathered Dove is often observed solitarily or in pairs, moving secretively high in the forest canopy. Its primary foraging strategy involves plucking fruits directly from trees, either while perched or with brief, agile hovering. Specific terr...
The Cloven-feathered Dove is endemic to the Australasian region, primarily found across the island of New Guinea and its associated satellite islands. Its breeding range spans both Papua New Guinea and Indonesian Papua, extending eastward into the Bismarck Archipelago, encompassing islands such a...
Least Concern
- Its scientific name 'holosericea' translates to 'all silk,' referring to its smooth, almost velvety iridescent plumage. - Like many fruit doves, it possesses an elastic gape, allowing it to swallow fruits much larger than its beak. - Despite its vibrant, almost artificial-looking colors, the Cl...