Galapagos pigeon

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Galapagos pigeon
Galapagos pigeon

Galapagos pigeon

Systematics
Class : Birds (aves)
Order : Pigeon birds (Columbiformes)
Family : Pigeons (Columbidae)
Genre : Mourning Doves ( Zenaida )
Type : Galapagos pigeon
Scientific name
Zenaida galapagoensis
Gould , 1839

The Galapagos dove ( Zenaida galapagoensis , Syn. : Nesopelia galapagoensis ) is on the Galapagos Islands endemic species from the family of pigeons (Columbidae).

features

The Galapago pigeon has relatively long legs and a short tail. The top of the head, back and the top of the tail are solid red-brown to sand-colored. The upper wing-coverts and the shoulder feathers have the same basic color, but show black spots on the shoulder feathers and on the wing bend with a wide white border. Throat and front neck are dull reddish-purple, the belly is reddish gray. The species shows a very conspicuous light blue and black rimmed eye ring . The ear covers are whitish, tapering towards the back and bordered with black. The beak is dark gray, the legs are pale red. The drawing of the sexes is the same, but females are slightly smaller than males.

distribution and habitat

The Galapagos pigeon is endemic to the Galapagos Islands. It lives there in the dry, rocky plains with individual bushes or trees and opuntia .

Way of life

It feeds mainly on plant seeds, but also on cactus flowers and caterpillars during the rainy season . The courtship takes place on the ground. The male runs after the female with ruffled feathers during the advertising phase until the female stops. He then remains in a horizontal position with his tail pointing straight down and lets out a brrrr . An intensive ritualized cleaning of the feathers behind the wings as well as a beaks between the two birds immediately precedes the mating with the handing over of food. The nests made on the ground, in rock caves or in old nests of the Galapagos Mocking Thrush ( Nesomimus parvulus ) were found almost every month; the clutch apparently consists mostly of two eggs.

Existence and endangerment

So far there is no inventory estimate. Introduced domestic cats and other introduced ground predators are believed to be the greatest threat today , but the species is still common on predator-free islands. It is therefore classified by the IUCN as "safe" ("least concern").

swell

  1. ↑ Münst, p. 71

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 .
  • Alois Münst and Josef Wolters: Tauben - The species of wild pigeons , 2nd expanded and revised edition, Verlag Karin Wolters, Bottrop 1999, ISBN 3-9801504-9-6 .
  • 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

Commons : Zenaida galapagoensis  - collection of images, videos and audio files