Redhead pigeon
| Redhead pigeon | ||||||||||
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Redhead pigeon ( Geophaps plumifera ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Geophaps plumifera | ||||||||||
| Gould , 1842 |
The spinifex pigeon ( geophaps plumifera ), also Spinifextaube , Quail dove or white-bellied Quail Dove called, is a bird in the family of pigeons (Columbidae). The red-headed pigeon is a ground-dwelling species that occurs in four subspecies and is part of the fauna of Australia . It is a kind of dry biotope and also inhabits light forests with rock formations. Due to its predominantly rust-brown plumage, it is very well camouflaged on the often reddish soil of its habitat.
Appearance
As the name crested quail dove suggests, the shape of the redhead pigeon is more reminiscent of quails . With a body length of 20 centimeters and a weight of 110 grams, it is smaller than a laughing pigeon . The sexual dimorphism is normal. Females are slightly smaller, have a slightly more delicate head and the forelock is slightly shorter than that of the males. The red visual field is also a little less pronounced.
The most striking feature of the red-headed pigeon is the long, gray-brown head of feathers. The plumage of the red-headed pigeon is predominantly yellow-brown with a reddish sheen and black and gray stripes. The front head is ash gray. The top of the head is red-brown. The area around the eyes is bare and red. The throat is white. A black stripe runs underneath that extends to the ear mark. A second black stripe runs from the lower base of the beak in a semicircle around the eye. The wings are cinnamon brown with dark tips. The tail feathers are medium brown. The outer tail feathers have a black end. The chest and belly are cinnamon brown. A gray, broad band runs across the chest and is bordered at the bottom by a narrower dark band. The under tail-coverts are gray-brown. The beak is dark and strong. The iris is orange.
The flight is fast and has gliding phases similar to that of the pigeons . As instrumental sounds, flying redheads cause a whirring flight noise.
Spread and behavior
Red-headed pigeons inhabit the arid areas of central Australia and north-west Australia . The species lives exclusively on the ground and never flies on trees. It inhabits arid regions in Australia with low bushes and especially Spinifex grasses. It depends on the proximity of open water points. In addition to the seeds of grasses, bushes and trees, their diet also consists of a few insects and greenery. The composition varies according to the season.
On the ground, the red-headed pigeon moves in a way that is reminiscent of a stone fowl : it moves very quickly, the body is erect and the steps are far reaching. Red-headed pigeons that feel worried first press themselves on the ground and only fly up when they approach.
They build their nests on stony and rocky ground. The breeding season usually falls in the rainy season, as there is enough food available like the seeds of the grasses. Red-headed pigeons breed in loose colonies, but show pronounced aggressive behavior towards one another. Two white to cream-colored eggs are laid in the nest hollow, which is only padded with a little grass. Both adult birds participate in the breeding business. Young crested quail pigeons leave the nest at about 10 days, but are not yet able to fly at that time.
Keeping in human care
The first redhead pigeons were kept in Amsterdam Zoo in 1865. In Germany these pigeons first came on the market in 1893. The first breeding took place in France in 1894. Redhead pigeons are very willing to lay pigeons, but the rearing of young redhead pigeons is still considered difficult, as the adequate supply of water and food encourages the pigeons to start the second brood before the young of the first brood are independent. As a rule, redhead pigeons are therefore raised with laughing pigeons as foster parents. Alois Münst, who specializes in keeping wild pigeons, even reports that he did not have any breeding reports on natural rearing.
Redhead pigeons need a sunny and dry aviary as well as a heated shelter in the Central European climates. They are very aggressive birds. If two males are kept, one of the two animals will die very quickly. However, the males also show a high potential for aggression towards the females. It is therefore recommended to add two to three females to a male. It is not possible to keep them together with other birds. Males also kill much larger aviary roommates.
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
- Geophaps plumifera in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2008. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2008. Accessed January 31 of 2009.
- Videos, photos and sound recordings of Geophaps plumifera in the Internet Bird Collection