Ryukyu Green Pigeon Treron permagnus 紅頂綠鳩
Category I. Accidental.
IDENTIFICATION
Jun. 2018, Michelle and Peter Wong. Okinawa, Japan. T. p. permagnus.
37-41 cm. Similar in appearance to White-bellied Green Pigeon but lacks a contrasting white belly patch and has longer undertail coverts that have broad dark centres and narrow pale fringes.
VOCALISATIONS
Not heard to vocalise in HK.
DISTRIBUTION & HABITAT PREFERENCE
Recorded on Po Toi island, in trees at the edge of shrubland and fung shui woodland.
OCCURRENCE
One was photographed on Po Toi on 14 November 2012 (Welch 2015). The subspecies is uncertain.
BEHAVIOUR, FORAGING & DIET
Similar to other green pigeons it appeared for only short periods in the open.
RANGE & SYSTEMATICS
Ryukyu Green Pigeon occurs in the Ryukyu Islands and comprises two subspecies. According to Baptista et al. (1997), T. p. permagnus breeds in the northern part of the island chain and T. p. medioximus in the southern part. It is occasionally recorded in Taiwan, and once, also in 2013, off the coast of Fujian on Taiwan-administered Matsu Island (Welch 2015).
CONSERVATION STATUS
IUCN: Least Concern. Population trend stable.
Baptista, L. F., Trail, P. W. and Horblit, H. M. 1997. Family Columbidae (Pigeons and Doves). Pp. 60-243 in: del Hoyo, J., Elliot, A. and Sargatal, J. 1997. Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol. 4: Sandgrouse to Cuckoos. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain.
Welch, G. 2015. Whistling Green Pigeon Treron formosae of Ryukyu Islands ssp. permagnus/medioximus on Po Toi Island: the first Hong Kong record. Hong Kong Bird Report 2013: 272-277.
