Metriopelia
| Metriopelia | ||||||||||
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Cordilleras ( Metriopelia melanoptera ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Metriopelia | ||||||||||
| Bonaparte , 1855 |
Metriopelia is a genus of pigeon birds that belongs to the subfamily of American small pigeons . The genus usually includes four species that are native to South America.
Appearance
Metriopelia are small pigeon birds. The smallest species is the Aymara pigeon , which is only 19 centimeters long. The largest is the cordillera pigeon with 22 centimeters.
As is characteristic of American pigeons, their shape is compact. The plumage lacks striking colors. Gray and brown tones with black spots and feather edges predominate. A conspicuous sexual dimorphism , as it is characteristic of the closely related genus Claravis , is absent in this genus. Three species have conspicuous dark circles, which led to the German name Brillentäubchen for one species . In this species, the eye ring is bright yellow and enclosed by a narrow black outer ring. The moraine pigeon and the cordillera pigeon are drawn similarly , although the eye ring is bright orange or yellow-orange.
distribution and habitat
The distribution area of the Metriopelia species is limited to South America. The eyeglass pigeon and the Aymara pigeon are native to Peru, Bolivia and Chile. The moraine pigeon inhabits the highland plains in northwest Argentina. The cordilleran pigeon, on the other hand, is a species from the Puna zone of South America. It occurs in Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and western Argentina.
Claravis are species of the highlands. The so far insufficiently researched moraine pigeon has only been observed at altitudes above 2,000 meters above sea level. The spectacle pigeon and the cordillera pigeon use dry plateaus and high valleys of the Andes as habitats. The cordillera pigeon is found there mainly on wooded mountain slopes. The Aymara pigeon is the species that has been observed in the highest altitudes up to now. It still occurs at altitudes above 4,500 meters.
behavior
Relatively little is known about the free-range life of the Metriopelia species. The spectacled pigeon and probably also the moraine pigeon are cave breeders who use both tree hollows and crevices in the rock. The spectacled pigeon breeds in localities in holes and crevices in house walls.
species
The following species belong to the genus Metriopelia :
- Spectacled pigeons ( M. ceciliae )
- Moreno pigeon ( M. morenoi )
- Cordilleras ( M. melanoptera )
- Aymara pigeon ( M. aymara )
supporting documents
Individual evidence
literature
- Gerhard Rösler: The wild pigeons of the earth - free life, keeping and breeding , Verlag M. & H. Schaper, Alfeld - Hannover 1996, ISBN 3-7944-0184-0 .
