Christmas Island Imperial-pigeon
Encyclopedia
The Christmas Imperial Pigeon, (Ducula whartoni), is a large (39 cm in length, 450-700 g in weight) pigeon, mainly dark grey in colour with an iridescent sheen.
in the eastern Indian Ocean
. It inhabits rainforest
and secondary growth with fruiting trees.
because of its small population and restricted distribution. Threats include illegal hunting and predation by introduced Yellow Crazy Ant
s Anoplolepis gracilipes.
Distribution and habitat
The species is endemic to Christmas IslandChristmas Island
The Territory of Christmas Island is a territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean. It is located northwest of the Western Australian city of Perth, south of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, and ENE of the Cocos Islands....
in the eastern Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
. It inhabits rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
and secondary growth with fruiting trees.
Conservation
The Christmas Imperial Pigeon is classified as VulnerableVulnerable species
On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
because of its small population and restricted distribution. Threats include illegal hunting and predation by introduced Yellow Crazy Ant
Yellow crazy ant
The yellow crazy ant is a species of ant, introduced accidentally to northern Australia and Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean, that has wreaked ecological damage in both locations....
s Anoplolepis gracilipes.