Metallic Pigeon
Columba vitiensis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderColumbiformes (Pigeons and Doves)
- FamilyColumbidae (Pigeons and Doves)
- GenusColumba (Typical Old World Pigeons)
- SpeciesColumba vitiensis (Metallic Pigeon)
About the Metallic Pigeon
The metallic pigeon (Columba vitiensis) also known as white-throated pigeon, is a medium-sized bird up to 37 cm long, in the family Columbidae. Columba vitiensis forms a chain of eight living and one extinct subspecies that once extended from Japan to Australia:
C. v. anthracina (Hachisuka, 1939) – endemic to the Palawan and nearby islands (Philippines); last record in 1961 C. v. castaneiceps Peale, 1848 (Samoan metallic pigeon) – endemic to Samoa. This subspecies is characterized by a purple-chestnut crown that contrasts sharply with the neck and dorsal region. Notably, the ventral plumage remains consistently grey, lacking the rufous terminal fringes typically observed in other subspecies, even when the feathers are worn.
C. v. godmanae Mathews, 1915 (Lord Howe pigeon) – formerly endemic to Lord Howe Island (Australia); extinct in approximately 1853. Its existence is known only from early accounts and a painting by Raper, which likely portrays this bird.
C. v. griseogularis (Walden & E.L.Layard, 1872) – found in the Philippines (except Palawan). It is characterized by having the throat grey in both sexes. C. v. halmaheira (Bonaparte, 1855) – found from Taliabu (Indonesia... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Raja Ampat
Pinon Imperial-Pigeon
Ducula pinon
Claret-breasted Fruit-Dove
Ptilinopus viridis
Spice Imperial-Pigeon
Ducula myristicivora
Sultan's Cuckoo-Dove
Macropygia doreya
Pied Imperial Pigeon
Ducula bicolor
Western Crowned-Pigeon
Goura cristata
Great Cuckoo-Dove
Reinwardtoena reinwardti
Wompoo Fruit Dove
Ptilinopus magnificus
Stephan's Emerald Dove
Chalcophaps stephani
Orange-fronted Fruit-Dove
Ptilinopus aurantiifrons
Beautiful Fruit-Dove
Ptilinopus pulchellus
Pink-spotted Fruit-Dove
Ptilinopus perlatus
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raja Ampat | 🇮🇩 Indonesia |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Metallic Pigeon in Raja Ampat?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Metallic Pigeon sighting in Raja Ampat, based on 25 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Metallic Pigeon in Raja Ampat?
November has the highest sighting rate for Metallic Pigeon in Raja Ampat in our monthly data.