Red-shouldered green pigeon
| Red-shouldered green pigeon | ||||||||||
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Red-shouldered green pigeon |
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| Treron phoenicoptera | ||||||||||
| ( Latham , 1790) |
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The red-shouldered green pigeon ( Treron phoenicoptera ), also known as the red-shouldered pigeon, is a species of pigeon birds. It is a pigeon that is widespread in Southeast Asia in several subspecies.
The population of the red-shouldered green pigeon was classified in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2016 as “ Least Concern (LC) ” = “not endangered”.
Appearance
The red-shouldered green pigeon reaches a body length between 29 and 33.5 centimeters. It is a medium-sized, compactly built pigeon that is about the size of a city pigeon . The tail accounts for between 9.2 and 10.2 centimeters. The beak is between 1.7 and 2 inches long. The weight is between 250 and 270 grams. The sexual dimorphism is less pronounced than in many other species from the genus of green pigeons. There is no other species of pigeon in the distribution area of the red shoulder green pigeon with which it can be confused.
Appearance of the males
In the male, the front head and throat are yellowish green. The neck and chest are dark orange-yellow, the plumage tone is a little darker on the back of the neck. The top of the head and the neck are slate gray. A narrow pale blue-gray stripe runs from the sides of the chest over the nape, separating the yellow rear neck from the yellow-green back. There is a pale mauve stain on the front wing. The feathers of the larger wing-coverts are gray-green and the outer lugs are lined with broad yellow. The wings of the hand and arm are dark and have light seams. The tail feathers are yellowish green at the base and then turn into a slate gray. The black transverse band, which can be found in many green pigeons, is missing in this species. The belly is yellowish green to bluish green. The thighs are brightly yellow feathered. The underside of the tail is dark and lightens to a silver gray towards the end of the tail feathers.
The iris is blue to blue-violet on the inside and orange to red on the outside. The beak has a light horn-colored tone and brightens towards the tip. The feet are yellow.
Appearance of females and fledglings
Females resemble males in their plumage. They are just a little duller in color and the pale mauve-colored spot on the front wing is a little smaller. Young birds are paler in color than the females and the plumage tone is duller. They are still missing the mauve-colored stain on the wings.
Distribution area
The red-shouldered green pigeon has a very large distribution area that extends over large parts of Southeast Asia. The species is found in Pakistan , India , Nepal , Bangladesh , the south of the Chinese province of Yunnan, Burma , Thailand , Cambodia , Laos and Vietnam . On the Indian subcontinent it is a very common species in some areas. In Thailand, however, it is a comparatively rare pigeon.
The red-shouldered green pigeon is a forest dweller. It is extremely adaptable and uses a number of different forest forms. These include dry, deciduous forests, secondary forests, scrubland, tree groves in open areas, overgrown gardens, tree-lined avenues, and farmland. It is basically a pigeon of the lowlands, but occurs in the Himalayan foothills up to an altitude of 1480 meters.
Way of life
The red-shouldered green pigeon can usually be seen in flocks of five to ten individuals. In trees that bear abundant fruit, however, significantly more individuals can gather together with other pigeon species.
The red-shouldered green pigeon eats a wide range of fruits and berries. Several types of figs play a special role. She picks the fruits of the fig trees directly from the branches. In order to find enough food, she goes on seasonal hikes. Like other green pigeons, it climbs around in the branches like a parrot. Red-shouldered green pigeons that are startled freeze in their movement and are then difficult to make out because of their body plumage in the branches. Resting birds often sit in the topmost treetops.
The red-shouldered green pigeon is basically a tree-dwelling species and prefers to drink water while sitting on branches or hanging from branches that reach directly above the water surface. She only comes to the floor occasionally to drink, take in grit or minerals. Their mode of locomotion on the ground seems rather clumsy to humans, with their tail feathers slightly raised.
Reproduction
The breeding season falls from March to June with a peak in March and April. Courting males strut on the branches with swollen chest and throat, slightly drooping wings and ruffled plumage. They nod their heads and whistle softly. The female occasionally reacts to this courtship behavior with similar movement patterns, but this is demonstrated with a lower intensity than the males.
The nest is a loose platform made of twigs that is built on a branch in the dense foliage of a medium-sized tree. Both parent birds are involved in nest building. The nest is not padded. Red-shouldered green dove pairs often breed in close proximity to one another. Occasionally they build their nests near King Drongos ( Dicrurus macrocercus ). You will probably benefit from the alarm calls from this songbird species.
The clutch consists of two white eggs. These are incubated by both parent birds. The breeding season is about 14 days.
attitude
Red-shouldered green pigeons were first shown at London Zoo in 1864 . Breeding in captivity was not yet successful until the end of the 20th century.
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 .
- 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
- Treron phoenicopterus in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2012. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2012. Accessed November 12, 2016th
- Call of the red-shouldered green pigeon on Xeno-Canto
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Treron phoenicopterus in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2016 Posted by: BirdLife International, 2016. Retrieved on October 10, 2017th
- ↑ a b c d Gibbs, Barnes and Cox: Pigeons and Doves , p. 441.
- ↑ a b Gibbs, Barnes and Cox: Pigeons and Doves , p. 442.
- ↑ Rösler: The wild pigeons of the earth , p. 255
- ↑ Rösler: Die Wildtauben der Erde , p. 256.