Jamaican pigeon
| Jamaican pigeon | ||||||||||
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Jamaican pigeon |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Leptotila jamaicensis | ||||||||||
| ( Linnaeus , 1766) |
The Jamaican pigeon ( Leptotila jamaicensis ), also called the white -bellied pigeon or Jamaican white-bellied pigeon , is a species of the pigeon bird genus and is counted among the sounding pigeons. Their distribution area is the Caribbean. The species, to which four subspecies are counted, is classified by the IUCN as 
(= least concern - not endangered) because of its large distribution area. The population is estimated at 20,000 to 50,000 individuals.
The Jamaican earth dove has a similar sounding name in German usage. This species, classified as endangered by the IUCN, is limited in its distribution to Jamaica and belongs to the genus of the American earth pigeon .
Appearance
The Jamaican pigeon is the size of a small city pigeon. There is only a slight degree of gender dimorphism . In the females, the colors in the neck region are not so strong.
The forehead, face and throat are white to creamy white. At the back of the head the plumage turns into light gray. The neck shimmers purple. The neck is iridescent green. The breast is tinged with yellowish white and pink. A narrow white band runs up to the back in front of the wings. The coat, the back and the wings are olive brown. The lower wings, however, are red-brown. The beak is dark gray. The eyes are light gray. The feet and legs are reddish.
Jamaican pigeons soaring produce a whirring flight noise that is reminiscent of the instrumental sound of partridges . This is characteristic of all types of sound swinging pigeons and is the reason for the German name.
Distribution area and habitat
The Jamaican pigeon is found in Mexico on the Yucatán Peninsula . Besides Jamaica , she also lives in the Bahamas , on the islands of Holbox , Cozumel , Grand Cayman and on the San Andrés Island .
The Jamaican pigeon inhabits semi-arid areas that are made up of bushes and trees. It occurs only in the lowlands.
behavior
The Jamaican pigeon is a predominantly ground-dwelling species. The nest is usually built on the ground, but can also be low in the bushes or a tree. The clutch consists of two eggs with a white shell. The breeding season is 16 days.
Keeping in human care
Jamaican pigeons were first kept in Berlin Zoo in 1845. They were not bred for the first time until 1903 in Great Britain. They are relatively rarely kept in aviaries. They need dry and warm aviaries and are dependent on a heated shelter, especially in winter. Towards the end of the 20th century, no pigeons of this type were kept in aviaries in Germany.
supporting documents
Individual evidence
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
- Leptotila jamaicensis inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013.1. Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved October 31, 2013.