This is a common species in rainforest and similar dense wet woodlands, farms, gardens, mangroves, and coastal heaths.

Its flight is fast and direct, with the regular beats and an occasional sharp flick of the wings which are characteristic of pigeons in general.

The Pacific emerald dove is a stocky, medium-sized pigeon, typically 23 to 28 centimetres (9.1 to 11.0 inches) in length.

Nevertheless, their tame behaviour does make them vulnerable to mesopredators such as feral cats, with the bird's largest predator being the cassowary that also inhabit the island of New Guinea and north-east Australia.

The Pacific emerald dove has four sub-species: A former subspecies, C. l. chrysochlora, has been discontinued and forms re-allocated to C. l. rogersi and C. l. timorensis.