Pointed pigeon

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pointed pigeon
Pointed pigeon

Pointed pigeon

Systematics
Class : Birds (aves)
Order : Pigeon birds (Columbiformes)
Family : Pigeons (Columbidae)
Genre : Ocyphaps
Type : Pointed pigeon
Scientific name
Ocyphaps lophotes
( Temminck , 1822)

The crested pigeon ( Ocyphaps lophotes ), also Australian crested pigeon called, is one in Australia -based pigeon . There are two subspecies, O. l. whitlocki ( Mathews , 1912) and O. l. lophotes ( Temminck , 1822).

Appearance

The Spitzschopftaube reaches a size of 31 to 36 centimeters and weighs 150 to 250 grams. The most striking feature is the erect gray-black head of feathers , which gives the species its name. The back of the head, neck, nape and rump are mostly brownish-gray in color that fades to pale pink on the sides of the neck. The head and the front of the neck are light gray. The upper tail-coverts are black-brown, faint green and shimmering purple, with almost white tips. The arm wings are gray with clear black and pale pink to yellowish-brown markings. Most of the larger and the inner arm wings are shimmering green, bronze or pink and end in white tips. Light gray prevails on the underside, pale pink on the sides of the chest and flanks. The beak is gray-black, legs and feet are pink-red. The eyes are surrounded by a wide, red ring. The sexes look very similar and can hardly be distinguished from the outside.

The subspecies O. l. whitlocki is a little smaller than O. l. lophotes and the white tips of their tail feathers are slightly narrower.

flight

In the case of flying pigeons, rapid wing beats alternate briefly with extended gliding phases. During the phase of rapid wing beats, a whistling sound is produced as an instrumental sound . It arises due to the unusually narrow shape of the third flight feathers. This noise during the rapid flapping of the wings warns other members of their own species of danger. The forelock is put on during the flight. Landing pigeons erect their tail stiffly at the moment of contact with the ground or branches.

distribution

Distribution of the Spitzschopftaube
A male is courting a female
Pointed pigeon

Originally, the range of the Spitzschopftaube was limited to thinly forested areas in the dry and semi-arid areas of Australia. Through human activities, such as the thinning of dense coastal forests and the creation of a constant water supply for agricultural purposes, the species was able to spread over almost the entire continent and is only absent in the driest and treeless deserts and in particularly dense forests.

behavior

Seeds and leaves make up a good 90% of the amount of food consumed, insects and small invertebrates are only eaten in small amounts. Food is usually eaten on the ground in groups of five to six animals. Larger schools are rare.

Reproduction

Pointed pigeons nest all year round, but only a few pairs start a new breed between April and July. The courtship mainly consists of a hasty bowing ritual. The male fans out the tail and spreads the wings sideways. The male lets out wuu calls.

A pair can hatch five to six clutches within a year. The nest is just a simple, flat platform made of branches. It is usually located no more than 5 meters high in a bush or a dense tree. A clutch contains two shiny, white eggs that are incubated for 18–20 days. About 2 weeks after hatching, the young are fully feathered. At this point, their appearance largely corresponds to that of their parents, only the feathers of the forelock are not as sharply pointed, and the young animals appear a little darker overall.

Keeping in human care

Pointed pigeons are kept relatively often in aviaries. However, the sexually mature males are considered to be aggressive, so putting together a suitable pair is considered difficult. They need a large aviary with a lot of sunlight and cannot be socialized with other pigeon birds. At the Max Planck Institute for Behavioral Physiology in Seewiesen , pointed-tailed pigeons were successfully kept in a free-flight facility during the summer. However, the experiment had to be ended in the end, as the tawny owls found there in large numbers successfully beat the pigeons. Since the pigeons are sensitive to cold, they have to be overwintered in a frost-free room.

supporting documents

Individual evidence

  1. Alarm by flapping wings , Wissenschaft-aktuell.de of November 10, 2017, accessed on November 13, 2017
  2. Münst, p. 48
  3. Münst, p. 49

literature

  • J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott & J. Sargatal, eds .: Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 4. Sandgrouse to Cuckoos. Lynx Edicions, 1997 Barcelona.
  • 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: Pigeons - The types 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

Commons : Spitzschopftaube ( Ocyphaps lophotes )  - Collection of images, videos and audio files