The adult male of nominate race has iridescent green upperparts tinged bluish or bronzy. The primary and outer secondary flight feathers and the rectrices are grey with slight greenish gloss.
Head and neck, upper mantle, breast and belly are pale pinkish-grey. The undertail-coverts are dark chestnut.
On the grey head, we can see some white feathers around the eyes and at bill base.
The bill is bluish-grey. The eyes are deep red. Legs and feet are reddish.
Both sexes are similar with the female slightly duller than male.
The juvenile is duller than adults, with less pink on head and underparts.
The Green Imperial-Pigeon is a vocal species. It utters single deep, loud “oom” while lowering the head, and a growling “kr-r-r-r-r”. The most often heard is a deep disyllabic “curr-hoo” or “koo koooo”. Actually, all these sounds are variations of the same call according to the situation.
The birds of Sulawesi utter a questioning “woohoo woo”, whereas in India, they give longer call, a deep, resonant “wuck-wuck-woor” or “wuck-woor-woor-woor-woor”.
The Green Imperial-Pigeon is a forested species. It frequents both primary and secondary forests, mangroves and also open country with scattered trees.
This species usually occurs in lowlands, but in India, it can be seen up to 300-600 metres of elevation, and in Sulawesi Islands, up to 1000 metres.
The Green Imperial-Pigeon is found in tropical southern Asia, from India E to Indonesia.
The Green Imperial-Pigeon is frugivorous, eating numerous fruits and berries. Those from Ficus and Myristica are greatly appreciated.
It is usually seen alone, in pairs or in small groups of 3-5 birds. But occasionally, flocks of up to 60 birds can be seen at fruiting trees and at roost.
The Green Imperial-Pigeon uses nighttimes’ roosts in some areas, and year after year, the same roosts are occupied, and the same routes are used to reach them.
This arboreal pigeon forages mainly in the upper canopy, plucking small and large fruits from the branches. It is not aggressive towards other pigeons when feeding. It may come to the ground, first for drinking, and then, to lick salt-soils.
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