Ashy Wood Pigeon

Ashy Wood Pigeon
Columba pulchricollis

AKA: Buff-collared Pigeon; Nepal Wood Pigeon

Distribution: Inhabits the forests at high elevations (4000 feet to 10000 feet) of Tibet, Nepal, Sikkim, Assam, Burma, Siam & Formosa. Map

First described in 1845/46; Blyth, Nepal.

Description: Length 36 cm. Head pale bluish grey shading to white on the throat. Has a broad collar at back of neck and narrowing at sides with buff or cream tips & dark bases. Neck, upper chest & upper mantle dark bluish grey with green or purple iridescence. Lower chest light grey shading to pale grey/buff on ventral region. Buff to white on under tail coverts. Primaries & tail feathers dark. Female duller, chest more or less suffused with brownish buff. Juvenile duller with rusty buff edges to feathers of chest, underparts & flight feathers. Neck marking obscurely indicated.

Voice: similar to the European Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus); said to be more abrupt & softer.

Nesting: Clutches consists of single white egg, has been recorded with 2 egg clutches. Incubation 21-23 days. Young fledge in about 28 days.

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