Rust pigeons
| Rust pigeons | ||||||||||
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Male of the rust pigeon ( Columbina talpacoti ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Columbina talpacoti | ||||||||||
| ( Temminck , 1810) |
The rust pigeon ( Columbina talpacoti ) is a species of pigeon birds that is part of the subfamily of American small pigeons . The species occurs from the extreme south of North America to South America and is not considered endangered in its population.
Appearance
The rust pigeon reaches a body length of about 16.5 centimeters. It is a compact pigeon species with a relatively short tail. The gender dimorphism is only slightly pronounced. The females are a little more dull in color than the males. They also lack the gray plumage on the head.
The male head is gray. The plumage is otherwise a strong wine-reddish brown. The bottom of the body is slightly lighter than the top of the body. There are individual black spots and stripes on the wing covers. The hand wings are black-brown. The beak is grayish horn-colored at the base, while the tip is dark. The iris is red. The feet are reddish.
Distribution area and way of life
The distribution area of the rust pigeon extends from southern Mexico through Central America to South America. In the United States, the species is occasionally found in southern California to south Texas . In South America the distribution area extends to the north of Argentina , Paraguay and Uruguay . Rust pigeons also come to Isla Margarita , Trinidad , Tobago and Puerto Rico . In Colombia , the species comes to an altitude of 2,400 meters above sea level. in front.
Rust pigeons are resident birds. Migration can, however, be triggered by insufficient food resources. They look for their food on the ground. The food spectrum includes seeds, small insects and snails . In parts of the distribution area, the rust pigeon breeds all year round. In Peru and Bolivia , on the other hand, the breeding season extends from September to January . The nest is built relatively stable for a pigeon species. It is usually built in dense undergrowth or in creepers. The clutch consists of two white eggs. The breeding season lasts 11 to 13 days. The young birds leave the nest after ten to 14 days. The parent birds occasionally start breeding again two days later.
Keeping in human care
Rust pigeons are relatively rare in European wild pigeon keeping, as they are only imported occasionally. The first rust pigeons were shown at the London Zoo in 1868 and bred that same year. A free aviary with a heated shelter is necessary for keeping them. If there is insufficient exposure to the sun, they tend to develop melanism . They are not suitable for socialization with other small pigeons because they behave aggressively towards them.
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
- Columbina talpacoti inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2014.