Other Names (World)
Grey-capped Emerald Dove, Emerald Dove, Green-winged Pigeon, Green-winged Dove, Green Dove, Little Green-Pigeon, Little Green-winged Pigeon, Emerald Ground-Dove, Long-billed Pigeon, Long-billed Green-Pigeon, Lilac-mantled Pigeon, Green and Bronze Pigeon, Green-backed Dove, Common Emerald Dove, Asian Emerald Dove
Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China (mainland), Christmas Island, India, Indonesia, Japan (B), Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, Papua New Guinea, Philippines (B), Singapore (B), Sri Lanka, Taiwan (China), Thailand, Timor-Leste (B) (NB), Vanuatu, Vietnam.
Common Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps indica) [XC94042]
by Mike Nelson from Bo Nok bird blind, Phetchaburi, Thailand (song)
Common Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps indica) [XC777846]
by David Boyle from Nuwara Eliya, Nuwara Eliya, Central Province, Sri Lanka (song)
Breeding Season (Guide)
Throughout the year, whenever conditions are favorable.
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Nest
Scanty and almost flat, composed of twigs, at the junction of leafy horizontal branches, on a mass of vines or on top of an arboreal fern, up to 5 meters above the ground.
Eggs (Guide)
2; pale cream; oval; about 28 x 21 mm. Incubation: 14 - 16 days; by both sexes.
Young
Semi-altricial, nidicolous.
Subspecies
Genus shows affinities to both Australian bronzewings (Phaps and allies) and African spotwinged doves (Turtur). Present species closely related to Stephan's Dove (Chalcophaps stephani), with which largely allopatric. Distributions suggest that present species may be expanding its range at the expense of Stephan's Dove (Chalcophaps stephani), for example in Moluccas and western Papuan Is. Subspecies chrysochlora may merit treatment as separate species (incorporating longirostris and sandwichensis). Many subspecies described, some based on very minor differences. May include Chalcophaps norfolciensis, a name long used for White-headed Pigeon (Columba leucomela) but now known to refer to a species of Chalcophaps that formerly occurred on Norfolk I.
The following 9 subspecies are recognised:
indica (Linnaeus, 1758) - Indian Subcontinent (southern from Himalayan foothills), southern China (south-eastern Sichuan, Yunnan, Guangxi, Hainan), Taiwan and southern Ryukyu Is, southern through south-eastern Asia and Philippines to Greater and Lesser Sundas (east to Alor), Sulawesi, Moluccas and western Papuan Is.
robinsoni Baker, ECS, 1928 - Sri Lanka.
natalis Lister, 1889 - Christmas I (Indian Ocean).
minima Hartert, 1931 - Numfoor, Biak and Mios Num Is in Geelvink Bay, Irian Jaya.
maxima Hartert, 1931 - Andaman Is.
augusta Bonaparte, 1855 - Nicobar Is.
chrysochlora (Wagler, 1827) - Eastern Lesser Sundas, from Wetar and Timor east to Tanimbar Is and north to Banda and Kai Is (eastern Moluccas), and New Guinea eastern from Astrolabe Bay in northern and Hall Sound in south to D'Entrecasteaux and Trobriand Is and Louisiade Archipelago, then on to eastern Australia (south to Victoria, and ranging to south-western Australia). Also Lord Howe I and Norfolk I, where perhaps introduced.
longirostris Gould, 1848 - Northern Australia, in northern western Australia (Kimberley region) and northern Territory. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Brown-capped Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps longirostris).
sandwichensis E. P. Ramsay, 1878 - Santa Cruz Is, Banks Is and Vanuatu, and New Caledonia. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Brown-capped Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps longirostris).
The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9
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