Claravis
| Claravis | ||||||||||
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Blue dove ( Claravis pretiosa ), female |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Claravis | ||||||||||
| Oberholser , 1899 |
Claravis is a genus of pigeon birds that belongs to the subfamily of American pigeons . The genus usually includes three species that are native to North, Central and South America. Two species arecurrently classified as not endangeredby the IUCN . The purple breast pigeon , on the other hand, is considered severely threatened. Its population has declined dramatically since the beginning of the 20th century and is only classified at 50 to 249 individuals.
Appearance
Claravis are small pigeon birds. The blue dove only reaches a body length of 21 centimeters. The purple breast pigeon is only slightly larger at 22 centimeters.
As is characteristic of American small pigeons, their shape is compact. The plumage lacks striking colors. Gray and brown tones with black spots and feather edges predominate. The sexual dimorphism in all three species is very unusual for a pigeon species. The males are predominantly blue-gray. The females, on the other hand, are brown to cinnamon brown.
distribution and habitat
The distribution area of the Claravis extends from the south of North America over Central America and islands of the Caribbean to Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Paraguay. The northernmost range has the blue dove , which occurs in southern Mexico. At the same time it has the largest distribution area, because blue doves are distributed as far as the north of Argentina , the south of Brazil and Paraguay . The range of the purple breast pigeon is also very large. It occurs from southern Mexico to the mountains of southeastern Peru. The smallest distribution area has Geoffroys pigeons , which occurs only in southeastern Brazil and the adjacent area of Paraguay.
Claravis are species ranging from loosely wooded regions to denser forests. The Geoffroy pigeon, for example, also occurs in denser forests and the purple-breasted pigeon lives in mountain forests. Its range is now considered to be highly fragmented.
behavior
All Claravis species are seed-eaters and prefer to take them on the ground. The Geoffroy pigeon prefers to eat the seeds of two types of bamboo, namely Gadua chacoensis and Gadua trinii . The pigeon is therefore dependent on the ripening times of these bamboo species, which run synchronously in the individual regions of the distribution area. Geoffroy pigeons therefore have to travel very long distances to search for food.
Swarming is observed in all species. Outside the breeding season, the blue dove swarms with 100 individuals. Such flock sizes were observed in the Geoffroy pigeon at the beginning of the 20th century. Today, even observations of groups of five animals are very rare.
The nests are built in trees and bushes. The nest is always put together very loosely. The clutch consists of two white eggs. The reproductive habits have only been examined more closely in the case of the blue dove. In this species the incubation period is 14 days. The nestlings fledge after 13 to 14 days.
species
The following types are included in the Claravis :
- Blue dove ( Cl. Pretiosa )
- Geoffroy's pigeon ( Cl.geoffroyi )
- Purple breast pigeon ( Cl. Mondetura )
supporting documents
Individual evidence
- ↑ http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/factsheet/22690819 Birdlife factsheet about Geoffroy's pigeons, accessed on May 17, 2009.
- ↑ Rösler, p. 203 and p. 206.
- ↑ Rösler, pp. 203 to 206.
- ↑ Rösler, p. 203
- ↑ Rösler, p. 206.
- ↑ Rösler, p. 205.
- ↑ Rösler, p. 205 and p. 206.
- ↑ http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/factsheet/22690819 Birdlife factsheet about Geoffroy's pigeons, accessed on May 17, 2009.
literature
- 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 .
