- Origin: South-East Asia
- Class: Birds
- Order: Columbiformes
- Family: Columbidés
It is found from southern India to the Philippines, via the Nicobar Islands and New Guinea. Among pigeons, it has an exceptional plumage with metallic and iridescent blue-green tones. It spends most of the day on the ground, looking for fruit and seeds to feed on.
During the breeding season, the male’s wattle becomes larger. His nest, a rudimentary platform made from a few branches and twigs, is built at a low height of two or three meters. The pair take it in turns to brood for around two and a half weeks. For the first few days, the young are fed on crop milk, also known as pigeon milk.
IUCN status: Near-threatened (Appendix II)