Treron is a genus of bird in the pigeon family Columbidae. It contains 30 species distributed across Asia and Africa, they all are remarkable for their green plumage that lead to their common name green pigeons, which comes from a carotenoid pigment found in their diets of fruits in their wild habitats; other than that, they also eat various, nuts, and/or seeds.

Members of this genus can be further grouped into species with long tails, medium-length tails, and wedge-shaped tails. Most species of green pigeon display sexual dimorphism, where males and females can be readily distinguished by differences in their plumage.[citation needed] They dwell in trees and occupy a variety of wooded habitats.[citation needed]

Taxonomy

The genus Treron was introduced in 1816 by the French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot with the thick-billed green pigeon (Treron curvirostra) as the type species. The genus name is from the Ancient Greek τρηρων trērōn simply meaning "pigeon" or "dove".

The genus contains 30 species:

  • Gibbs, David; Barnes, Eustace; Cox, John (2001). Pigeons and Doves: A Guide to the Pigeons and Doves of the World. Yale University Press. pp. 425–456. ISBN 0-300-07886-2.