Rose shoulder pigeon
| Rose shoulder pigeon | ||||||||||
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Rose shoulder pigeon of the subspecies Patagioenas inornata wetmori , which is found in Puerto Rico |
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| Patagioenas inornata | ||||||||||
| ( Vigors , 1827) |
The rose shoulder pigeon ( Patagioenas inornata ) is a species within the genus of the American field pigeons . It is a large, compact-looking and dark-colored pigeon that only occurs in the Caribbean. There are three subspecies.
The stock situation is indicated with nt (= near threatened - potentially threatened). In Puerto Rico there is a protection program in which rose shoulder pigeons raised in captivity are released into the wild.
features
Rose shoulder pigeons reach a body length of 39 to 41 centimeters. The weight averages 250 grams. There is no gender dimorphism .
The head, neck and chest to the lower abdomen are dark maroon. The flanks and the under tail-coverts are blue-gray. The coat is gray to blue-gray, most of the wing covers are of the same color. However, the feathers of the large wing covers have narrow whitish fringes and in the middle of the middle wing covers the gray color changes into a chestnut brown. The wings are blue-gray, the wings are black-gray with fine white borders. The back and the rump as well as the upper tail-coverts are blue-gray. The tail is black. The iris is gray-white to blue-white with an outer orange ring. The orbital ring is dark purple to purple-pink. The beak is thin, long and blackish in color. The legs and feet are dark red.
Young birds are similar to adult birds, but are a little more dull in color and have a more brownish plumage tone overall.
In the range of the rose shoulder pigeon there is no other species with which it can be confused. The voice of the rose shoulder dove is a soft peep-guuuoo.
Distribution area and habitat
The rose shoulder pigeon is found in Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Their populations have declined on all islands. The reason for this is a fragmentation of the habitat and sometimes considerable hunting pressure, although this pigeon is protected on all islands.
The rose shoulder pigeon occurs from the lowlands to at high altitudes and inhabits both primary and secondary tropical rainforests, pine forests, dry thorn bush regions, mangroves and open landscapes. Gibbs, Barnes and Cox note that this pigeon species appears to show a different preference for the individual habitats depending on the island on which it occurs. In Cuba, it is more common in forests and savannas of the lowlands, as well as in mangroves and swamp areas. In Jamaica, on the other hand, it is a highland bird species, but can also be found in lowlands at certain times of the year. In Haiti it shows a preference for pine forests in the highlands, while in the Dominican Republic it also populates hard-leaved forests and mangroves. In Puerto Rico, it is most common in secondary forest areas and open pastureland. These preferences suggest that the rose shoulder pigeons originally appeared in a wide range of forest types and tree-lined landscapes, but that other environmental factors have pushed them back into specific habitats on the islands within their range.
Way of life
Rose shoulder pigeons live mostly in small flocks. Outside the breeding season , however, larger flocks can occur. In Jamaica, it moves daily from the highlands to the lowlands to look for food. Their food spectrum is very wide and includes fruits, berries, seeds, saplings, leaves and flowers.
In Cuba and Jamaica, the breeding season falls from April to July, while in Puerto Rico it broods all year round. As with all American pigeons, the nest is a loose platform made of branches. This nest is built in hard foliage trees, bamboo thickets, conifers and mangrove thickets. While one egg per clutch is typical on Puerto Rico, the clutches on the other islands in their range each contain two eggs. The breeding season is 13 to 15 days. The nestlings can fledge at 21 to 23 days of life.
Trivia
The subspecies Patjgioenas inornata wetmorei of the rose shoulder pigeon honors the American ornithologist Alexander Wetmore , who has carried out extensive studies on the Latin American avifauna.
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 .
Web links
- Patagioenas inornata in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2012. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2012. Accessed September 26, 2016th
- Voice of the rose shoulder dove on Xeno Canto
Single receipts
- ↑ a b c Gibbs, Barnes and Cox: Pigeons and Doves. P. 229.
- ↑ Patagioenas inornata in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2012. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2012. Accessed September 26, 2016th
- ↑ a b c d e Gibbs, Barnes and Cox: Pigeons and Doves. P. 228.
- ^ Voice of the rose shoulder dove on Xeno Canto , accessed on September 26, 2016.
- ↑ Bo Beolens, Michael Watkins: Whose Bird? Men and Women Commemorated in the Common Names of Birds . Christopher Helm, London 2003, ISBN 0-7136-6647-1 , pp. 205 .