One of the 10 pigeons on WAnimals
Birds · Columbiformes · Columbidae
Tooth-billed Pigeon
Didunculus strigirostris
It faces an extremely high risk of imminent extinction in the wild. See full glossary
The manumea pigeon is a species of bird of the family Columbidae endemic to the islands of Savai'i and Upolu (Samoa), and the only representative of the genus Didunculus. Native solely to the primary rainforest of Samoa, it is considered critically endangered by the IUCN, with only a few hundred individuals thought to remain in existence. It is the national bird of this island.
Weight
350 g – 400 g
Size
31 cm – 38 cm
Lifespan
15 years
Diet
Herbivore
Feeds mainly on plants.
Activity
Diurnal
Active mainly during the day.
Social structure
In pairs
Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.
Sighting difficulty
Very hard
Estimated population
Fewer than 100 mature individuals
Fun facts
- It is known as the little dodo for its hooked, toothed bill, so unlike that of any other pigeon, although genetically it is not the dodo's closest relative: that place belongs to the Nicobar pigeon.
- It is the national bird of Samoa and appears on the country's banknotes, and even so barely a handful of living individuals have been documented over the last two decades.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
- Habitat & environment
- Primary upland rainforest of the islands of Upolu and Savai'i, in Samoa
- Sexual maturity
- 2 years
- Gestation / incubation
- 28 days of incubation
- Litter / clutch size
- 1 egg
Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didunculus_strigirostris
Where to watch it
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Tooth-billed Pigeon — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Laurel Pigeon
Columba junoniae
Bolle's Pigeon
Columba bollii
Nicobar Pigeon
Caloenas nicobarica
Dodo
Raphus cucullatus
Comoro Blue-Pigeon
Alectroenas sganzini
Victoria Crowned-Pigeon
Goura victoria
How to help
The tooth-billed pigeon is classified as critically endangered. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 1 real protected area — part of why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about tooth-billed pigeon.
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