Tooth-billed Pigeon


Tooth-billed Pigeon

 

(Didunculus strigirostris), the only species of the subfamily Didunculinae of the family Columbidae. The bird is about the size of a rock dove. It has a short tail. The beak is high and narrow, and each side of the gonys has three teeth (hence the name). The head, neck, and underparts are black-green, and the back, wings, and tail are chestnut-red. The tooth-billed pigeon is found in Polynesia on the islands of Upolu and Savai’i (Western Samoa). It lives in forests but is primarily a terrestrial bird. It feeds on fruits and berries. It has been practically exterminated by man and is a protected species.