Jobita dove
| Jobita dove | ||||||||||||
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Alopecoenas jobiensis |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Alopecoenas jobiensis | ||||||||||||
| ( Meyer , 1875) |
The jobite dove ( Alopecoenas jobiensis , Syn .: Gallicolumba jobiensis ), also called white-breasted earth dove , is a species of pigeon birds. It occurs in several subspecies exclusively on some Southeast Asian islands. The subspecies Alopecoenas jobiensis chalconota , which was found on Guadalcanal , Makira and Vella Lavella , is now extinct.
Appearance
The jobite dove reaches a body length of 25 centimeters. It is thus slightly smaller than the laughing pigeon , but has the characteristic body structure of the Indo-Pacific earth pigeons and is shorter-tailed and long-legged than the laughing pigeon . Compared with other species of the Indo-Pacific earth pigeon, however, it is noticeably less plump and stocky built. The other species of this genus are also noticeably longer-legged. The gender dimorphism is not very pronounced. Overall, the plumage of the males shines a little more.
The head of the Jobita dove is dark blue-gray. From the upper base of the beak, a very wide white stripe extends over the eye and into the neck. The throat and chest are white. The back neck is gray and turns into a dark, reddish purple to the coat in the wing. The upper tail-coverts as well as the tail feathers, the lower breast, the flanks and the belly are dark slate gray. The beak is black. The iris is dark brown. The feet are reddish. It is a species that is not very vocal. However, a belching sound was described in the case of the Jobita pigeons kept in human care.
Spread and behavior
The main distribution of the Jobitaube is in New Guinea, but it is absent in large parts of the bird's head . It also populates the islands of Yapen , Bagabag , Duke of York, Fergusson, Goodenough , Hermit, Tong, Karkar , Lihir , Lolobau , Manam, New Britain , New Hanover , New Ireland , Sakar , Tabar, Umboi and the Watom Islands, which border on New Guinea . For the Solomon Islands it is occupied for Guadalcanal , Vella Lavella and Makira . It colonizes islands that are up to 3000 kilometers apart. It is not a very common species. Regionally, however, larger aggregations can occur if the trees bear enough fruit.
It is more dependent on primary forest than other species of Indo-Pacific earth pigeons and colonizes both rainforest and monsoon forest. It is also found in abandoned gardens and old plantations. Its altitude distribution in New Guinea extends from the lowlands to an altitude of 2300 meters. The nest is built in trees. The clutch consists of two white eggs. These are incubated for 14 days. The young birds fledge after about 16 days and put on adult plumage at about 34 weeks.
Keeping in human care
The Jobita dove was first imported to England in 1921. In 1924 the first breed in human care was successful. The species is generally considered difficult to breed because the birds react aggressively to one another. It needs large aviaries that are well planted, as the pigeons love to climb.
literature
- Bruce M. Beehler , Thane K. Pratt: Birds of New Guinea; Distribution, Taxonomy, and Systematics . Princeton University Press, Princeton 2016, ISBN 978-0-691-16424-3 .
- 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 types 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
- Alopecoenas jobiensis inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014.2. Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved October 23, 2014.