# Nicobar Pigeon (*caloenas nicobarica*) The Nicobar Pigeon is a beautiful bird with shiny green and blue feathers! It loves to eat fruits and seeds and can be found in tropical forests. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger - **Habitat:** Tropical forests and coastal areas in the Nicobar Islands. - **Also known as:** Green Pigeon, Island Pigeon, Nicobar Dove ![Nicobar Pigeon](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Caloenas_nicobarica%252C_Ko_Miang%252C_Thailand_1.jpg&width=800) Photo: ziggypop74, CC BY 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Caloenas_nicobarica%252C_Ko_Miang%252C_Thailand_1.jpg) ## Appearance The Nicobar Pigeon has dazzling iridescent green and blue plumage with bronze undertones across its head and body, contrasting sharply with its pure white tail. Its shaggy, elongated neck feathers give it a unique, flamboyant appearance, easily distinguishing it from other pigeons. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Columbiformes - **Family:** Columbidae - **Genus:** Caloenas ## Interesting facts - Nicobar Pigeons often gather in huge flocks on tiny islands to sleep safely. - They prefer to walk on the forest floor but fly powerfully between islands. - They swallow small stones, called grit, to help their gizzard grind tough seeds. - This pigeon is the closest living relative of the extinct Dodo bird! ## Special abilities - **Rainbow Ruffles:** Nicobar Pigeons have dazzling iridescent feathers that shimmer, helping them camouflage in jungle or attract a mate. - **Powerful Seed Crusher:** Nicobar Pigeons can digest tough seeds because of their strong gizzard, which helps them access nutrients from hard foods. - **Island Hopper:** Nicobar Pigeons can fly between islands, helping them find food and safe roosting spots across their fragmented habitat. - **Night Rooster:** Nicobar Pigeons can safely roost high in trees at night, which helps protect them from ground predators. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 36-40 cm - **Wingspan:** 40-45 cm - **Weight:** 0.22-0.3 kg - **Lifespan:** 8-15 years - **Speed:** 55 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1 - **Incubation:** 18-20 days ## Diet & Feeding These pigeons are ground foragers, mostly eating fallen fruits and seeds from the forest floor. - **Primary Foods:** Fallen fruits, Seeds, Berries, Nuts, Small invertebrates - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Indian Rubber Tree (*Ficus elastica*) — Consumes fallen fruits and seeds. - **Eats:** Velvet Apple (*Diospyros discolor*) — Forages for its fallen fruits. - **Eaten by:** [Reticulated Python](https://www.snappit.app/explore/reticulated-python) (*Python reticulatus*) — Python can prey on adults and fledglings. - **Eaten by:** [Long-tailed Macaque](https://www.snappit.app/explore/long-tailed-macaque) (*Macaca fascicularis*) — Monkeys may raid nests for eggs. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Nicobar Pigeon? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Nicobar Pigeon? 36-40 cm ### What is Nicobar Pigeon's wingspan? 40-45 cm ### How much does Nicobar Pigeon weigh? 0.22-0.3 kg ### How long does Nicobar Pigeon live? 8-15 years ### How fast can Nicobar Pigeon move? 55 km/h ### What does Nicobar Pigeon eat? These pigeons are ground foragers, mostly eating fallen fruits and seeds from the forest floor. ### Where is Nicobar Pigeon usually found? Tropical forests and coastal areas in the Nicobar Islands. ## Where to spot - [Zoo Braunschweig](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/zoo-braunschweig) — Niedersachsen, DE · Zoo ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Nicobar Pigeon: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/nicobar-pigeon)