Treron pembaensis
The Pemba Green Pigeon (Treron pembaensis) is a striking, medium-sized pigeon, endemic solely to Pemba Island off the coast of Tanzania. Measuring around 25 cm in length, its plumage is predominantly a vibrant olive-green, providing excellent camouflage amidst the forest canopy. Males are distinguished by a purplish-chestnut patch on the mantle and shoulder, a key field mark absent in the slightly duller females. Both sexes exhibit yellowish-green underparts, creamy vents, and rufous undertai...
Resident in lowland evergreen forests, forest edges, cultivated plantations (especially cloves and mangoes), and large gardens on Pemba Island, typically found up to 400m elevation.
Primarily frugivorous, feeding on a wide variety of fruits, particularly figs (Ficus spp.), berries, and other fleshy fruits, often consumed directly from the tree canopy.
The Pemba Green Pigeon is a diurnal and gregarious species, often observed in small to medium flocks foraging high in fruiting trees. Its foraging strategy involves agile movements, plucking fruits directly from branches, often hanging upside down to reach ripe morsels. While specific territorial...
The Pemba Green Pigeon is strictly endemic to Pemba Island, which is part of the Zanzibar Archipelago off the coast of Tanzania in East Africa. It is a year-round resident throughout the island, inhabiting suitable habitats from coastal areas to inland plantations and remaining forest fragments. ...
Vulnerable
- The Pemba Green Pigeon is a true island endemic, found nowhere else in the world except Pemba Island, Tanzania. - Its scientific name, *pembaensis*, literally means 'from Pemba', highlighting its unique geographical restriction. - Despite its vibrant green plumage, it is remarkably difficult to...