Mourning doves
| Mourning doves | ||||||||||
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Carolina pigeon ( Zenaida macroura ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Zenaida | ||||||||||
| Bonaparte , 1838 |
_male.JPG)
The weeping pigeons ( Zenaida ) are a genus of pigeon birds. Six species are included in this genus. They occur in North and South America. The genus was described in 1838 by Charles Lucien Bonaparte , who gave it the scientific name Zenaida in honor of his wife Zénaïde .
Appearance
Mourning pigeons reach a body length between 26 and 30 centimeters. Most species have inconspicuous, often brownish plumage with shades of gray and pink. Many species have black and white spots on the wings. The largest species is the coastal pigeon , which grows slightly larger than a laughing pigeon . The coastal pigeon differs in the number of tail feathers from the other species of this genus. It has only twelve tail feathers, while 14 tail feathers are characteristic of the other species. Most species only come to the ground to forage. In contrast to this, the Galapagos pigeon is found almost exclusively on the ground during the day. Overall, it shows a very different appearance from pigeons and is more reminiscent of a star than a pigeon.
distribution and habitat
The distribution area of the weeping pigeons extends from North America to far in the south of South America. Furthest north that comes Mourning Dove ago, the northern limit of distribution is the south of Canada. The Socorrotaube , extinct in the wild , was found on an island in the Revillagigedo Group off the Pacific coast of Mexico. It disappeared there in the 1970s because it was hunted and decimated by imported cats and rats. It is currently being bred in human care with the aim of reintroducing it once the causes of its decline are eliminated. Farthest south that comes eared dove before, which is home to, among others, in Chile and Argentina.
All species are inhabitants of open landscapes. The species living further north and south are migratory birds.
behavior
The food spectrum of the weeping pigeons includes seeds, berries, small fruits and green parts of plants. Animal food in the form of insects and other small invertebrates only plays a subordinate role. Apart from the Galapago pigeon, weeping pigeons build their nests on trees and bushes. The clutch consists of two eggs.
species
The following species are counted among the weeping pigeons:
- Carolina pigeon ( Zenaida macroura )
- Socorrotaube ( Z. graysoni )
- Perute dove ( Z. meloda )
- Lattice dove ( Z. auriculata )
- Coastal pigeon ( Z. aurita )
- White-winged pigeon ( Z. asiatica )
- Galapago pigeon ( Z. galapagoensis )
Systematics
Together with the wandering pigeons ( Ectopistes ) and the now defunct genus Zenaidura , the mourning pigeons formerly formed the group of American lovebirds. The perute pigeon was long considered a subspecies of the white-winged pigeon. Only since 2000 has there been scientific consensus that their species status is due.
supporting documents
Individual evidence
- ↑ Rösler, pp. 183-189
- ↑ Rösler, p. 187
- ↑ Rösler, p. 182
- ↑ Grzimek's animal life. Volume 8: Birds II. P. 255
literature
- Gerhard Rösler: The wild pigeons of the earth - free life, keeping and breeding , Verlag M. & H. Schaper, Alfeld - Hannover 1996, ISBN 3-7944-0184-0
