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 LC    Brown Cuckoo-Dove* Id (Atlas): 029
    Macropygia phasianella Endemic

Description
Image of Brown Cuckoo-Dove
Brown Cuckoo-Dove
© birdsinbackyards.net
 

Other Names (World)
Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Large Brown Cuckoo-dove, Pheasant Pigeon(!), Brown Pigeon, Pheasant-tailed Pigeon, Cuckoo-Dove, Long-tailed Pigeon, Brownie

Family
Columbidae (Pigeons, Doves)

Size
30 - 45 cm

First Described
(Linnaeus, 1766)

Derivation
Mac-ro-pyg'-i-a - Gk, macros, long; Gk, pyge, rump, tail: amboinensis - N.L., of Ambon

Abundance
C

Common. Abundant in some northern areas to scarce in the south-east. Locally, seasonally migratory or nomadic.

Habitat
Rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest, usually at the edges, in understorey along creeks or rivers, or secondary regrowth in clearings and along roads.

Range (Guide)
Image of Range of Brown Cuckoo-Dove
© 2004 Birdpedia (Last update: 31/05/2012)
Australia.
 
Eastern Australia from Cape York south to about Bermagui, NSW.
 
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.

Status LC
Secure.

For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Habits
Singly, in pairs or small groups.

Food
Fruits and seeds, especially berries of the ink-weed, wild tabacco and wild raspberry.

Voice
A deliberate, 'whoop-a-whoop', uttered several times.

(22Kb) © ? (1)


Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (37)...)

 
Brown Cuckoo-Dove (Macropygia phasianella) [XC434740]
     by Rolf A. de By from Diggings Rd, Eungella, Queensland, Australia (song)

 
Brown Cuckoo-Dove (Macropygia phasianella) [XC516462]
     by David Edwards from Black Mountain Road, Kuranda, Australia (call)

Breeding Season
October - December in most parts, but varies.

J F M A M J J A S O N D
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   


Nest
A platform composed of sticks, varying from scanty to substantial, usually within 10 meters of the ground.

Eggs
1; smooth, dull creamy white; ellipsoidal; about 35 x 24 mm. Incubation: 16 - 18 days; by both sexes.

Young
Semi-altricial, nidicolous. Fledge in about 16 days.

Subspecies
Slender-billed Cuckoo-dove (Macropygia amboinensis) and Brown Cuckoo-Dove (Macropygia phasianella) (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) have been lumped into Macropygia amboinensis following Christidis and Boles (1994).

May form superspecies with Slender-billed Cuckoo-dove (Macropygia amboinensis), Dusky Cuckoo-dove (Macropygia magna), Andaman Cuckoo-dove (Macropygia rufipennis), Philippine Cuckoo-dove (Macropygia tenuirostris) and Ruddy Cuckoo-dove (Macropygia emiliana). All six sometimes considered conspecific.

The following 3 subspecies are recognised:

  • quinkan Schodde, 1989   -  Cape York Pen. (northern Australia).
  • robinsoni Mathews, 1912   -  Queensland (north-eastern Australia).
  • phasianella (Temminck, 1821)   -  Coastal eastern Australia (Cape York to eastern Victoria).



References
See References.

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