Tag Archive for 'Columbidae'

The pink-bellied imperial pigeon (Ducula poliocephala). Image credit: Gwen So / CC BY-SA 4.0.

New Species of Imperial Pigeon Identified

Sep 17, 2026 by Natali Anderson

A previously unrecognized species of the fruit-eating pigeon genus Ducula inhabits the remote island of Tawi-Tawi in the Philippines’ Sulu Archipelago,...

Tongoenas burleyi (right) likely featured the brightly colored plumage of other canopy-dwelling pigeons on the Pacific islands. On the left is the Kanaka pigeon (Caloenas canacorum), another large extinct Tongan species. Image credit: Danielle Byerley.

Meet Tongoenas burleyi, Extinct Giant Pigeon from Tonga

Jul 23, 2020 by News Staff

A new extinct genus and species of pigeon has been identified from fossils found on six islands (Foa, Lifuka, ‘Uiha, Ha‘afeva, Tongatapu, and ‘Eua)...