Gundlachtaube

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Gundlachtaube
Systematics
Class : Birds (aves)
Order : Pigeon birds (Columbiformes)
Family : Pigeons (Columbidae)
Genre : American earth pigeons ( Geotrygon )
Type : Gundlachtaube
Scientific name
Geotrygon caniceps
( Gundlach , 1852)

The Gundlachtaube ( Geotrygon caniceps ), sometimes referred to as the gray-headed earth dove , is a species of pigeon birds. It occurs exclusively in the Caribbean. The IUCN classifies the species as endangered ( vulnerable ). The population is estimated at 2,500 to 10,000 individuals and is falling sharply.

In German usage the gray-headed pigeon has a very similar name. However, this species belongs to the sonic swing pigeons .

Appearance

The Gundlachtaube reaches a body length of 27 centimeters. It is a little bigger than a laughing dove . The gender dimorphism is only slightly pronounced. The females are a little more dull in color than the males.

The forehead is light gray. The head and throat are gray. The coat, the back and the sides of the chest are purple. On the lower back and the upper tail-coverts, the plumage turns into a bluish purple. The chest, elytra and tail are dark gray. The under tail covers and the belly plumage are reddish brown. The beak is dark red at the base and brightens horn-colored towards the tip. The iris is red.

Distribution area and habitat

The Gundlachtaube occurs exclusively on Hispaniola and Cuba . It is a very rare species in its entire range. In Cuba it occurs mainly in the west and center of the island. It is most common in the Sierra del Rosario and the Zapata Peninsula . Parts of the Zapata peninsula belong to the Ciénaga de Zapata and are under nature protection, so that the pigeon still has a chance to survive here. In Hispaniola, it is believed to only be found in the Dominican Republic . On the part of the island that belongs to Haiti , it is probably completely absent, as extensive habitat destruction took place here. Such habitat destruction also occurs in Cuba, where habitats of this type are converted into cocoa, coffee and tobacco plantations. In the entire distribution area, hunting and imported predators also contribute to the population decline. This species is particularly widespread in Cuba. She is not shot here, but caught with traps.

The Gundlach pigeon inhabits moist tropical and subtropical mountain forests up to heights of 1,500 meters. The species needs dense undergrowth so that it is very sensitive to logging.

Way of life

The Gundlachtaube is a resident bird, in which no migrations have been observed so far. She is shy and inconspicuous. In her way of life she is strongly tied to the ground. When threatened, she is more likely to seek protection on an ongoing basis than to be found out. They look for their food in the interior of the forest on the ground. The breeding season extends from January to August. The nest is a fragile platform made of branches that is erected low in the undergrowth. The clutch consists of one or two eggs. The breeding season is 13 days and the young birds fledge after 12 to 13 days.

Keeping in human care

Gundlach pigeons were imported to France for the first time in the early 1920s and bred for the first time in 1923. There is still a conservation breed of this kind in France.

supporting documents

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ BirdLife Factsheet , accessed June 28, 2009
  2. ^ Gibbs, p. 376
  3. ^ Gibbs, p. 376
  4. ↑ BirdLife Factsheet , accessed June 28, 2009
  5. ↑ Rösler, p. 218

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 . Verlag M. & H. Schaper, Alfeld Hannover 1996, ISBN 3-7944-0184-0 .

Web links