Halmahera fruit pigeon
| Halmahera fruit pigeon | ||||||||||
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Halmahera fruit pigeon |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||
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| Ducula basilica | ||||||||||
| Bonaparte , 1854 |
The Halmahera fruit pigeon ( Ducula basilica ), also known as the cinnamon belly fruit pigeon , is a short-tailed and high-contrast colored species of pigeon birds. It occurs in two subspecies exclusively on Indonesian islands.
The stock situation of the Halmahera fruit pigeon was classified in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2016 as “ Least Concern (LC) ” = “not endangered”.
Appearance
The Halmahera fruit pigeon reaches a body length of about 38 centimeters. It is about the size of a small wood pigeon . The tail accounts for 11.5 to 12 centimeters. The beak has a length of 1.9 to 2.1 centimeters. There is no noticeable gender dimorphism . Females are only slightly darker on the head than males. Due to the striking plumage, there is no other species of pigeon in the range of the Halmahera fruit pigeon with which it can be confused.
The wax skin is featherless, which means that the head has a rounded profile. The head is light wine pink with a slightly more intense tone at the back of the head. The neck and the back of the neck are blue-gray. The mantle and wing covers are green with a bronze tinge. The arm wings are green with a bluish tinge, the hand wings are black with a bluish tinge on the outer flags and the feather tips. The back and the upper tail-coverts are green. The tail is blackish.
The chin is cream-colored and merges into a wine-pink colored throat and ear covers. The front neck and chest have a slightly stronger pink shade. The belly, the under tail covers and the thighs are light cinnamon colored. The iris is bright red, the orbital ring and the eyelids are also red. The beak is lead gray, the feet are coral red.
distribution and habitat
The Halmahera fruit pigeon is found in the northern part of the Moluccas archipelago . It occurs there on the Bacan Islands , Halmahera , the largest island of the Moluccas, Morotai , the Obi Islands and Ternate , the main island, in the west of Halmahera. It also settles in Kasiruta in the southwest of the Moluccas.
The habitat of the Halmahera fruit pigeon is dense evergreen rainforest. It is also found in forests with selective logging and secondary forest, as well as on forest edges that border on plantations. However, it is rare on plantations and other agricultural areas. Their height distribution ranges from the lowlands to altitudes of 1000 meters.
Way of life
The Halmahera fruit pigeon is a forest dweller that lives solitary or in pairs. It is occasionally associated with the white-eyed fruit pigeon , which also belongs to the large fruit pigeons .
The Halmahera fruit pigeon usually stays in the dense foliage of the treetop area and is therefore often only noticeable by its dark calls. She calls particularly frequently in the morning hours. Reproductive biology and diet have not yet been conclusively investigated.
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
- Ducula basilica in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2012. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2012. Accessed November 22, 2016th
- Call of the Halmahera fruit dove on Xeno-Canto