The Polynesian Imperial Pigeon is also known as the Society Islands Pigeon and Tahiti Imperial Pigeon.
This large wild pigeon species is endemic to French Polynesia and the remaining population is found on just one island.
The Polynesian Imperial Pigeon is listed as Endangered.
Origins of the Polynesian imperial pigeon
The Polynesian Imperial Pigeon (Ducula aurorae) was first described by American ornithologist Titian Peale (opens in new tab) in 1848.
At the time Peale described two populations, the Ducula aurorae wilkesii found in Tahiti and the Ducula aurorae found in Makatea.
He originally believed them to be separate taxa based on the number of tail feathers.
The Tahiti imperial pigeons had 12 tail feathers while the Makatea population had 14 tail feathers.
Apart from this there appeared to be no other differences between the two populations.
Distribution & Habitat of the Polynesian imperial pigeon
Polynesian Imperial Pigeons are found on Tahiti and Makatea islands.
However, the species is believed to be extinct on Tahiti, where by the 20th century it was already restricted to the Papeno’o and Hitia’a valleys.
On Makatea there has been an increase in the population size.
In 1987 there were believed to be between 100-500 Polynesian Imperial Pigeons left. A survey in 2009 found there to be around 1,200 individuals (opens in new tab).
Dense forest is the preferred habitat of the Polynesian Imperial Pigeon. They are most often found in subtropical and tropical moist lowland and montane forests.
While not their preference, habitat loss and degradation has meant the Polynesian Imperial Pigeon can now also be found in secondary habitats and occasionally gardens.
Closest Columbidae Relatives of the Polynesian imperial pigeon
The Polynesian Imperial Pigeon belongs to the genus Ducula, the imperial pigeons, which has about 40 species. They are large to very large pigeons that mainly feed on fruit.
The most similar to the Polynesian Imperial Pigeon is the Pacific Imperial Pigeon:
The Pacific Imperial Pigeon is a similar species but is much more widespread, is smaller in size and has a different cere structure to the Polynesian Imperial Pigeon.
Both species have a knob on the bill, but its size and shape differ.
The two species also have different calls making them easy to differentiate.
Polynesian imperial pigeon Appearance
The Polynesian Imperial Pigeon is a large pigeon with a silvery-grey head and underparts and dark upperparts. The wings of this pigeon are broad and rounded.
The most distinctive feature of the Polynesian Imperial pigeon is the black fleshy knob above the bill. They also have a narrow white band around the base of their bill.
Although they look mainly grey, Polynesian Imperial Pigeons have dark iridescent green upperparts, black primaries and a black underwing. Their eyes, legs and feet are red.
Males and females look alike, though males tend to be slightly larger.
Juvenile Polynesian Imperial Pigeons have dark brown/ black plumage, a less swollen cere on their bill and they have white feathers at the base of the bill.
When the juveniles molt they then develop intermediate plumage where their head and neck are grayish green and their underparts are dark gray. From this plumage they will then develop their adult feathers.
| Wingspan | Length | Weight | Coloring | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polynesian imperial pigeon | Unknown | 41 – 51cm | Unknown | Silver-grey with dark glossy green upperparts |
| Average Feral Pigeon | 64 – 72 cm | 29 – 37 cm | 240 – 380g | Bluish gray with some black |
Polynesian imperial pigeon Conservation
The Polynesian Imperial Pigeon is classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List (opens in new tab).
Their population is small and they are found only in French Polynesia, so their range is tiny, with an estimated extent of occurrence of about 28 km2.
Estimates put the population at roughly 570–1,200 birds, and it is thought to be slowly increasing, possibly because mining has decreased.
Threats to the Polynesian Imperial Pigeon population include habitat loss, particularly due to mining and road infrastructure, hunting, and predation by cats.
On Tahiti, where the pigeon used to live, the Swamp Harrier (Circus approximans) is believed to have played a role in its disappearance.
The Swamp Harrier was intentionally introduced (opens in new tab)to Tahiti in order to control rat populations but this has impacted indigenous bird species including the Polynesian Imperial Pigeon.
Further spread of the Swamp Harrier could put the remaining pigeon population at risk.
Proposed conservation actions include:
- Resurveying the Polynesian Imperial Pigeon population
- Eradicating the Swamp Harrier (Circus approximans) to prevent the species from spreading to Makatea
- Opposing mining and runway plans on the islands
- Considering captive breeding and reintroduction onto Tahiti
Polynesian imperial pigeon Character
Polynesian Imperial Pigeons have a deep, hoarse cooing call.
When feeding, these pigeons hop between branches looking for fruit. In flight, they beat their wings slowly and occasionally glide.
Diet
These wild pigeons eat a variety of fruits, in particular they have been seen feeding on guavas, figs, and plantains.
Mating And Breeding Polynesian imperial pigeons
As Polynesian Imperial Pigeons are only found on Makatea, a mostly inaccessible island (opens in new tab), very little is known about the species mating and breeding.
Caring for Polynesian imperial pigeons
The Polynesian Imperial Pigeon is an endangered wild species and is not suitable for keeping.
As the biggest threat to the future of this species is habitat loss and degradation, the best way to help care for them is to support conservation efforts to protect the forests in French Polynesia.
There are ongoing threats to this species, in particular mining activities and the potential development of infrastructure such as roads.
As this species is found in such a small area protecting the remaining habitat is essential for their survival.
Last updated 30 October 2026 · Types