Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon

The purple-tailed imperial pigeon is a large pigeon, with a pale pink head, orange to pale orange underparts, emerald green wings and back, and a namesake purple rump. The pigeon's upper mantle and nape are blue-grey, and it has a distinctive grey band at the end of the tail.

The purple-tailed imperial pigeon is endemic to New Guinea, and is found throughout most of the island with the exception of the highlands. It is also found on the offshore island of Yapen, and in the Raja Ampat archipelago. The pigeon is primarily found in lowland and foothill forest and forest edge up to 600 metres, though in some areas it can be found up to 1200 metres.

The purple-tailed imperial pigeon is frugivorous. Plants of importance in its diet include palms (Arecaceae), laurels (Lauraceae), figs (Moraceae), nutmegs (Myristicaceae), and Combretaceae. The most common fruits recorded in one study were of the genera Cinnamomum, Litsea, and Neolitsea. This species prefers to fly at or below canopy level. It is reportedly extremely wary. The purple-tailed imperial pigeon is sometimes parasitized by the mite Gunabopicobia masalaje, a species described in 2014.

The genus name Ducula is derived from the Nepalese word dukul, which refers to imperial pigeons. The specific epithet rufigaster comes from Latin rufus, meaning red, and gaster, meaning belly. The subspecific epithet of the subspecies D. r. uropygialis comes from Medieval Latin uropygium, meaning rump.