Golden shoulder fruit pigeon
| Golden shoulder fruit pigeon | ||||||||||
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Gold shoulder fruit pigeons |
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| Ptilinopus wallacii | ||||||||||
| GR Gray , 1858 |
The golden shoulder fruit pigeon ( Ptilinopus wallacii ) is a species of pigeon birds that is one of the so-called fruit pigeons . It has the high-contrast plumage typical of downy pigeons and occurs on some Indonesian islands and occasionally in the southwest of New Guinea.
The population of the golden shoulder fruit pigeon was classified in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2016 as “ Least Concern (LC) ” = “not endangered”.
Appearance
The golden shoulder fruit pigeon reaches a body length of 26 centimeters. This makes it a medium-sized pigeon with a comparatively long tail that is slightly smaller than a laughing pigeon . The tail accounts for between 6.5 and 7.2 centimeters. The beak is between 1.6 and 1.9 inches long. A sexual dimorphism is only slightly pronounced. The breast of the female is a little greener, the orange belly spot is a little less pronounced.
The wax skin is partially feathered. The front of the head and the crown are red-purple. The neck is blue-gray, the coat is dark gray. The small wing covers are rust-brown to orange, the middle wing covers are yellowish green. The large elytra are strong green with a metallic sheen and yellow edges on the outer flags. The wings are green, the wings are blackish with shimmering blue-green tips and outer flags. The back is olive colored. The upper tail-coverts are dark green with a gray end band.
The chin, throat and ear covers are white. The neck and chest are light ash gray. At the bottom of the chest there is a white band that separates the chest from the bright orange belly spot. The rump is yellow, the flanks and legs are dark olive. The under tail-coverts are pale yellow with dark green spots on the inner lugs. The iris is bright red with a green or gold inner ring. The narrow orbital ring is bluish. The beak is yellow with greenish yellow with a lighter beak tip. The feet are dark red to pink.
Possible confusion
There are two other downy-footed pigeon species in the distribution area of the golden shoulder fruit pigeon, with which it can be confused.
The red cap pigeon is significantly smaller and has a shorter tail and a more compact body. The red cap barely extends beyond the eye. The gray chest and the orange belly are separated from each other by a purple band. The under tail-coverts are yellowish orange. The top of the body is dark green.
The pink cap fruit pigeon is also smaller and more compact than the gold shoulder fruit pigeon. The parting is pink, the cap does not reach over the eyes either. The gray breast is set off from the orange belly by a mauve-colored spot. The under tail-coverts are brownish orange, the upper side of the body is green. The tail has a yellow end band. .
Distribution area and habitat
The distribution area of the golden shoulder fruit pigeon includes the extreme southwest of New Guinea as well as some Indonesian islands. With Banda , Kur , Mangur , Taam, Komeer, Bacar, Kei Dullah (Tual) and Kei Kecil , the islands of the Moluccas to the south belong to their Indonesian distribution area . It is also found on Babar and Tanimbar of the Lesser Sunda Islands and occurs on Aru . It may not be a breeding bird in New Guinea. It is possible that golden shoulder pigeons from the island of Aru visit this island occasionally.
The habitat of the golden shoulder fruit pigeon are light forests of the lowlands. These include monsoon forest , gallery forest , wooded coastal strips and mangroves.
Way of life
The golden shoulder fruit pigeon forms groups of five to 26 individuals more frequently than other downy pigeons. It eats berries and small fruits that it picks straight from the branches. The flight is quick and direct. It can be seen more often as it flies over open terrain. So far nothing is known about the breeding biology of this species.
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
- Ptilinopus wallacii in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2012. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2012. Accessed November 27, 2016th