Spotted pigeon (American pigeon)
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Spotted pigeon |
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| ( Temminck , 1813) |
The spotted pigeon ( Patagioenas maculosa , syn .: Columba maculosa ), sometimes also called mask pigeon or striped pigeon , is a species within the genus of American field pigeons . It is a large, sturdy pigeon, short-tailed in relation to its body size, with pearl-shaped drops on the wing covers, which occurs in South America. There are two subspecies.
The stock situation was classified in the IUCN's Red List of Threatened Species in 2016 as “ Least Concern (LC) ” = “not endangered”. It is common in large parts of its range and is sometimes classified as an agricultural pest.
features
Spotted pigeons reach a body length of 35 centimeters, which is just about the size of a stock dove . The sexual dimorphism is hardly pronounced. The weight is between 308 and 345 grams.
The males of the nominate form Patagioneas maculosa maculosa have a dark gray crown and neck with a dark purple sheen. The mantle and the wing covers are dark brown, the feathers of the wing covers have a triangular whitish spot at the end. The wings of the hand are lined with dark gray and narrow white. The arm wings are also black-gray with a narrow gray border. The back and the rump as well as the upper tail-coverts are blue-gray. The upper tail-coverts are long and the tail feathers protrude only a few centimeters above the upper-tail coverts. They are dark gray with a black end band.
The chin and throat are gray-white and merge into a gray-violet on the chest and stomach. In the direction of the under tail coverts, the plumage turns into a dark to bluish gray. The beak is short and thin and dark gray to black in color, the wax skin at the base of the beak is powder white. The legs and feet are dark red. The iris is white-gray.
Females are colored similarly to the males, but a bit grayer overall. Young birds are similar to females, but the spots on the elytra are even more blurred.
The subspecies Patagioneas maculosa allipennis is less spotted on the elytra than the nominate form. With her, however, the hems on the outer wing feathers are wider. They form a white stripe on the wing edge.
The spotted pigeon's calls are a dark, rough coo.
Possible confusion
There is a possibility of confusion with a number of pigeon species, whose range overlaps that of the spotted pigeon. There are similarities with the feral domestic pigeon , which occurs in the entire distribution area of the spotted pigeon. The distribution area of the spotted pigeon also overlaps with a subspecies of the scaly neck pigeon and the nominate form of the Picazuro pigeon , both of which belong to the same genus.
The scaled-neck pigeon lacks the markings on the wing covers, it also has a longer tail, a yellow beak and dark iridescent markings on the back of the neck. The Picazuro pigeon resembles the spotted pigeon both in shape and in flight. However, the underside of the Picazuro pigeon's body is reddish-purple and it has scale-like markings on the sides of the neck.
distribution and habitat
The distribution area of the spotted pigeon is disjoint. It occurs in Peru and Bolivia in open forest areas and on agricultural areas at altitudes between 2000 and 4200 meters above sea level. In this region it can also be found in populated areas and is part of the cityscape in Cusco and the cities of the Bolivian Altiplano . On the east side of the Andes chain it can be found in foothills up to an altitude of 1000 meters. Their distribution area here includes Paraguay, Argentina to the southwest of Brazil.
The spotted pigeon inhabits arid to semi-arid areas. It is dependent on nesting trees and benefits from the establishment of eucalyptus tree plantations and other afforestation. As a result, their population has increased sharply in parts of their range. It is partially considered an agricultural pest because it causes damage to agricultural land. In the lowlands of Argentina, for example, it is known for causing major damage to fields cultivated with sunflowers.
Way of life
Spotted pigeons usually come in small flocks. Outside the breeding season , however, very large flocks also form, which are occasionally associated with the Picazuro pigeon. The spotted pigeon looks for its food mainly on the ground, where it ingests seeds and grain. It also eats saplings and fresh leaves, as well as fruit that has fallen on the ground. However, it has not yet been seen eating fruit on trees.
The breeding season varies with the area of distribution. It breeds in October in Rio Grande do Sul , the southernmost state of Brazil. In Argentina, however, it breeds all year round. In the Andean regions, however, it progresses from October until the onset of the rainy season. It nests in trees. The nest is a loose platform. The clutch consists of two eggs.
attitude
The spotted pigeon was first imported to Europe by the London Zoo in 1870 and was successfully bred that same year. A specimen of this species kept in the Berlin zoo reached an age of 25 years.
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
- Patagioenas maculosa in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2012. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2012. Accessed September 24, 2016th
- Voice of the Spotted Dove on Xeno Canto
Single receipts
- ↑ a b c d e Gibbs, Barnes and Cox: Pigeons and Doves , p. 220.
- ↑ Patagioenas maculosa in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2016 Posted by: BirdLife International, 2016. Retrieved on October 10, 2017th
- ↑ a b Gibbs, Barnes and Cox: Pigeons and Doves , p. 219.
- ^ Voice of the wine dove on Xeno Canto , accessed September 25, 2016
- ↑ Rösler: The wild pigeons of the earth - free life, keeping and breeding . P. 102