Black-banded Fruit-Dove

1. The black breast-band sharply contrasts with the white upper breast.

2. The broad pale-grey terminal band on the tail is prominent during flight.

3. Smaller than the similar Torresian Imperial-Pigeon, which is mostly white with black flight feathers.

This species feeds primarily on rainforest fruits, particularly figs, and rarely descends to the ground. They are adept climbers, often hanging upside-down to access fruits in the canopy. Breeding occurs during the dry season (May to September), with females laying a single white egg on a loose platform of sticks built in dense foliage near cliffs. Both parents share incubation duties and feed their young with protein-rich "crop milk."

The Black-banded Fruit Dove is found exclusively in the sandstone escarpments of western Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. It inhabits deep gorges and monsoonal rainforests dominated by Allosyncarpia trees. These birds are most active during early mornings and late afternoons, feeding on fruiting trees or flying along cliffs. Their call is a low-pitched "coo," repeated at intervals of 4–5 seconds. When startled, they flush with a loud wing-clap and strong, undulating flight.