Pale mountain pigeon

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Pale mountain pigeon
Systematics
Class : Birds (aves)
Order : Pigeon birds (Columbiformes)
Family : Pigeons (Columbidae)
Genre : Mountain pigeons ( gymnophaps )
Type : Pale mountain pigeon
Scientific name
Gymnophaps solomonensis
Mayr , 1931

The pale mountain pigeon ( Gymnophaps solomonensis ), also called Malaita dove , is a species of pigeon birds . It occurs exclusively on some islands in the Solomon Islands .

Appearance

The pale mountain pigeon reaches a body length of about 38 centimeters. In its shape and size, it is similar to the Albert pigeon , which also belongs to the genus of mountain pigeons. Unlike these, however, their wings are longer and not quite as pointed. The pale mountain pigeon also has a slightly longer tail. There is also a similarity to the Solomon Islands pigeon , which occurs in the same area of ​​distribution, but belongs to the long-tailed pigeons . The Salomon-Coffered pigeon differs among other things by a feather head. Unlike the pale mountain pigeon, it lives solitary or in pairs.

The head and chest are pale ash gray. The throat and upper chest are white. The belly is a little darker up to the under tail coverts and in some individuals has a reddish tinge. The top of the body is smoke gray. The feathers of the mantle and the wing-coverts are lined with dark, so that it looks a bit scaly on these parts of the body. The dark circles are large, featherless and red. The iris is orange in color. The beak is yellow at the base and turns brown towards the tip. The feet are reddish.

distribution and habitat

The pale mountain pigeon is an endemic species of the Solomon Islands . It occurs on Bougainville , Kolombangara , Vangunu , Guadalcanal and Malaita . Their breeding area is exclusively mountain forests. It uses altitudes between 500 and at least 1,565 meters above sea level. However, pale mountain pigeons in search of food also come to the lowlands.

behavior

Similar to the Albertistaube, the pale mountain pigeon can often be seen in small groups. The size of these swarms is usually 20 individuals. Flocks of more than a hundred pale mountain pigeons have also been observed. It is a fruit-eating pigeon that usually finds its food in the treetops. They are characterized by clapping flight noises when they are startled. Very little is known about the breeding biology. Two nests that were found on Kolombangara were just shallow hollows that were on very thick horizontal branches three meters above the ground level. Each of the nests found contained a white egg.

supporting documents

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Rösler, p. 313.
  2. ^ Gibbs, p. 579.

literature

  • David Gibbs, Eustace Barnes and John Cox: Pigeons and Doves - A Guide to the Pigeons and Doves of the World. Pica Press, Sussex 2001, ISBN 90-74345-26-3 .
  • Gerhard Rösler: The wild pigeons of the earth - free living, keeping and breeding. M. & H. Schaper Verlag, Alfeld-Hannover 1996, ISBN 3-7944-0184-0 .

Web links