It was thought to be extinct but wild populations rediscovered in 2008 near Masokut Island of the Mentawai archipelago might represent this species, and photographs from Simeulue confirm its existence there.

The colour pattern, unusual for a Columba pigeon, probably represents convergent evolution towards the PIP, and possibly even a case of Müllerian mimicry, the anti-predator attribute being the PIP's habit to aggregate in large flocks which makes it harder for predators to pick out individual birds, and enables the much rarer silvery pigeon to share this advantage.

Like most other pigeons, it builds a flimsy stick nest in trees and lays a single white egg, which has a chalky, not glossy shell (as opposed to that of the PIP).

This is based on a lack of confirmed sightings, however, and thus the species may actually be more common and simply not identified due to its resemblance with the pied imperial pigeon.

Similarly, introduction of alien predators (like cats that become feral) will jeopardize breeding on offshore islets, but this is also not believed to have been significant at the time the records ceased.

At any rate, the species is not found anymore on Burong, the Mentawi and the Riau Islands today, and likely only occurs on Siberut, Simeulue, and some of the surrounding islets.

There are some 1980s and 1990s records, supposedly of large numbers of individuals, from Padang-Sugihan Wildlife Reserve and Sembilang River in South Sumatra, and Berbak National Park in Jambi province.