Bronze winged pigeons
| Bronze winged pigeons | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bronze-winged pigeon ( Phaps chalcoptera ) |
||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||
|
||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||
| Phaps | ||||||||
| Selby , 1835 |
Bronze winged doves ( Phaps ) are a genus from the family of pigeon birds (Columbidae). They are closely related to the green-winged doves ( Chalcophaps ) as well as to the genus Henicophaps . Only three species are assigned to this genus. They occur exclusively in Australia.
Appearance
Bronze winged pigeons are pigeons with a compact to plump build. The largest representative of the genus is the bronze winged pigeon , which reaches a body length between 33 and 35 centimeters and weighs 300 grams. The bush pigeon and the harlequin pigeon , on the other hand, are only 28 centimeters tall. The three species are characterized by a head that is small in relation to their size. All species have black and white head markings.
distribution and habitat
The bronze winged pigeon is represented in large parts of Australia and Tasmania . The other two species have smaller ranges. The bush pigeon lives in addition to Tasmania the southwest and the southeast of Australia. The harlequin pigeon lives in Queensland , northern Western Australia and New South Wales . In contrast, it is absent in Tasmania.
The bronze-winged pigeon is the species most closely related to forest. But it also colonizes open regions that are only loosely populated with trees. The bush pigeon occurs in heather areas with bushes and low trees. But it also populates swamp areas and coastal areas. The harlequin pigeon, on the other hand, lives in semi-arid grass steppes and semi-deserts .
behavior
All three species are almost exclusively on the ground. The diet consists of seeds, berries and small invertebrates . The harlequin pigeon only breeds on the ground, the bush pigeon, on the other hand, also uses shrubs to create their loosely assembled nests. The bronze-winged pigeon breeds relatively rarely on the ground. It is one of the few pigeon species that breed in rock niches and tree hollows. In most cases, however, their nest is found in forks of branches.
species
The following species are counted among the bronze winged pigeons:
- Bronze-winged pigeon ( Phaps chalcoptera )
- Bush pigeon ( Phaps elegans )
- Harlequin Pigeon ( Phaps histrionica )
swell
Web links
literature
- Gerhard Rösler: The wild pigeons of the earth - free life, keeping and breeding , Verlag M. & H. Schaper, Alfeld-Hannover 1996, ISBN 3-7944-0184-0