These huge (20") colorful fruit pigeons are the only native pigeons in New Zealand. This species is split from the similar Chatham Island Pigeon (H. chathamensis) by Clements/eBird, IOC and HBW, but not H&M4 who follow a more traditional approach, retaining the two as subspecies. See Millener & Powlesland (2001) and Goldberg et al (2010). Formerly abundant, this species declined by about 50% over a twenty year period resulting in listing of "near threatened" by IUCN. However it seems to be recovering in recent years. Introduced predators and poaching are the main threats. This species does best in places like Tiritiri Matangi where they are protected and introduced predators eliminated. Canon PowerShot SX50 HS.
References:
BirdLife International. 2016. Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22727557A94952579. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22727557A94952579.en. Downloaded on 12 March 2017.
Baptista, L.F., Trail, P.W., Horblit, H.M., Kirwan, G.M. & Garcia, E.F.J. (2017). New Zealand Pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from http://www.hbw.com/node/54402 on 12 March 2017)
Goldberg, J., Trewick, S.A. & Powlesland, R.G. (2010) Population structure and biogeography of Hemiphaga pigeons (Aves: Columbidae) on islands in the New Zealand region. J. Biogeogr. 38(2): 285298.
Higgins, P.J.; Davies, S.J.J.F. (Eds.) 1996. Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic birds. Vol. 3, snipe to pigeons. Oxford University Press, Melbourne.
Millener, P.R. & R.G. Powlesland, 2001. The Chatham Islands pigeon (Parea) deserves full species status; Hemiphaga chathamensis (Rothschild 1891); Aves: Columbidae. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 31:365-383.
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/03014223.2001.9517659
Powlesland, R.G. 2013. New Zealand pigeon. In Miskelly, C.M. (ed.) New Zealand Birds Online. www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz