Pale-capped Pigeon
Photo: Mike Prince · CC BY 2.0

Doves and Pigeons

Pale-capped Pigeon

Columba punicea

VUVulnerable
Family
Doves and Pigeons (Columbidae)
Order
Columbiformes

Overview

The pale-capped pigeon (Columba punicea), also known as the purple wood pigeon, is a species of large pigeon that is found patchily distributed in parts of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It has a slow flight and spends a lot of time sitting still in the foliage of large fruiting trees, often in riverine forest on the plains. It is mainly brown above and chestnut below with the a sheen of green or amethyst. Males have a whitish grey cap while females have a brownish grey cap and less gloss on the feathers.

Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Range and habitat

Southern Tibet to eastern India, Myanmar, Thailand, and Hainan (off southern China).

Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.

Sources and further reading

Last updated September 29, 2026.