A very rare White-throated Pigeon Columba vitiensis photographed by Amir near the Paradise Diving Resort on Pulau Maratua, East Kalimantan.
The White-throated Pigeon is a small island specialist which is thought to be a seed predator of island fruits such as figs.
Six of Borneo’s pigeons are islands specialists Three of these are seed predators as described in this article whilst the other 3 are fig seed dispersers. Not surprisingly the 3 dispersers are much more common than the seed predators. In ecological terms the 3 disperser pigeons are farmers whilst the 3 seed predator pigeons are pirates.
Illustrated above are two specialist pigeons of small islands which obviously mimic each other for reasons unknown. Above is Pied Imperial Pigeon Ducular bicolour which is a fig seed disperser. Below is the much rarer Silvery Pigeon Columba argentina which is believed to be a fig seed predator.