Nilgiri Wood Pigeon

Columba elphinstonii

Like our previous entry, the Lion-tailed Macaque, the Nilgiri Wood Pigeon is also an animal found only in the western Ghats of India. It is also, unsurprisingly, a rare and Vulnerable creature.

Nilgiri Wood Pigeons are best identified by the black and white checkerboard pattern that appears on the back of their neck. Aside from that pattern they are brown and grey, with a purple sheen that is more prominent on the males.

These Pigeons are most active during the daytime, and are most commonly seen alone or in pairs. They feed on fruits and seeds, but are not averse to snacking on the occasional insect or snail!

In the past these birds where hunted for sport, which led to a population decline. Today their major nemesis is habitat destruction. These birds rely on forests to live, and those forests are being chopped down for agriculture and human settlement.

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IUCN Status : Vulnerable
Location : India
Size : Length up to 16in (42cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Columbiformes
Family : Columbidae -- Genus : Columba-- Species : C. elphinstonii
Image :  N. Kishor

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Socorro Dove

The Socorro Dove has not been seen in the wild for more than 40 years. It was last spotted on Socorro Island, its only known range, back in 1972.

Socorro Dove's are Extinct in the Wild, and there are between 100 and 200 birds living in captivity. Conservationists would like to get the birds reintroduced to their former habitat, a small island off the coast of Mexico, but there are challenges in the way.

The birds have been bred in captivity, thankfully, but their former home is not suitable for reintroduction yet. The birds went extinct due to the introduction of livestock (that overgrazed the bushes that the birds lived in) and feral cats, who hunted the mostly ground-dwelling Doves ruthlessly.

In order for the Doves to return home, feral cats would need to be eradicated from the island. Removal of cats from small islands has been done before (like in the offshore islands of New Zealand where Kakapo are now struggling to make a comeback), but it is very time consuming.

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IUCN Status : Extinct in the Wild
Location : Mexico
Size : Length up to 13in (33cm)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Columbiformes
Family : Columbidae -- Genus : Zenaida -- Species : Z. graysoni
Image : Rob Edwards

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Zebra Dove

Geopelia striata

Today's animal is a Zebra Dove, a bird that is native to Southeast Asia, but that has found it's way to various Pacific Islands as well due to introduction. Like many Dove and Pigeon species they have adapted to multiple habitat types, and can be found both int he wild, and in developed areas.

As you may have guessed, Zebra Doves are named for the black and white stripes that cover their necks. This color pattern helps them to stay camouflaged while they are foraging for seeds and small insects on the ground.

Zebra Doves are kept in captivity, and are said to be calm and quiet. They are actually rare in some of their native range now, due to collection for the pet trade, though they are now also bred on large farms as well. In Thailand, owning one is considered to be good luck.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Southeast Asia
Size : Length up to 9in (23cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Columbiformes
Family : Columbidae -- Genus : Geopelia -- Species : G. striata

Image : DickDaniels

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Common Bronzewing

Phaps chalcoptera

The Common Bronzewing is a medium sized species of Pigeon that is found throughout Australia. They live in a wide range of habitats, usually near sources of water,  and can be found just about anywhere that isn't a dense rainforest or a dry desert.

The common name from the species comes from their brightly colored wings. Both males and females sport patches of blue, green, red, and (of course) bronze, on them (though the females are a bit less shiny). These colors stand out when compared to greyish-brown feathers found on the rest of their bodies. The birds also have small white lines under their eyes, and juveniles posses the same coloration, only more dull.

Common Bronzewings are very adaptable birds. As already mentioned, they live in a huge range of habitats and temperature ranges. They also live in all sorts of differently size social groups. Some birds around found alone, others travel in pairs, while others move in small flocks. They are also adaptable when it comes to feeding, taking different kinds of available seeds and grasses while foraging on the ground.

One final example of their adaptability concerns their reproductive habits. They don't have a set breeding season, and will reproduce during any time of the year as long as there are suitable conditions. Males put on a bowing courtship display, displaying their shiny feathers to the females. The pair will build a very flimsy-looking nest, and two eggs are laid at a time. The parents share incubation duties (which is a very short 14-16 day time period) and they both feed and care for the chicks, which are fed "Pigeon Milk" from their parents' crops.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Australia
Size : Length up to 14in (36cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Columbiformes
Family : Columbidae -- Genus : Phaps -- Species : P. chalcoptera

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Mourning Dove

If you live in North America, I'm sure you've met today's animal before. This is the Mourning Dove, or Turtledove, or Carolina Pigeon, or Rain Dove... It goes by a whole lot of names. These members of the Columbidae family are some of the most widespread and abundant birds in North America, boasting a range of over 11 million square miles!

Mourning Doves spend a whole lot of time eating. They forage on the ground, storing up as many seeds as possible in their crop (there can literally be thousands of seeds in there!) In a single day, a Mourning Dove can eat 20% of their body weight. Seeds make up nearly 99% of their diet, but they aren't especially picky about the type of seed. This helps them to survive and spread into different habitats. The Doves are even able to live in deserts, thanks to their ability to drink incredibly brackish water!

Another cause for their large population and extensive range is their nesting behavior. Banding studies suggest that Mourning Doves mate for life, and during a single season each pair can raise three to six broods! The common brood size is two eggs, and they hatch after only 2 weeks. The offspring are fed crop milk, and fledge at around 11-15 days (fast growers!)

Needless to say, their huge range and massive population size has kept the birds from being in any sort of conservation danger. In the United States it is estimated that there are more than 350 million of them, and around 20 million are harvested as game every year.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : North America
Size : Body Length up to 12in (30cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Columbiformes
Family : Columbidae -- Genus : Zenaida -- Species : Z. macroura

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Namaqua Dove

Oena capensis (male)

The Namaqua Dove is a small member of the pigeon family that can be found in Sub-Saharan Africa and also on the Arabian Peninsula. Both males and females sport one of those long tails, but only the males have the black face with its red and yellow beak. Females have grey faces and dark bills.

The social structure of the Namaqua Doves is far from uniform. Most live alone or in pairs, but others congregate is huge flocks near bodies of water. Some remain in a single territory year round, while others wander a larger range, or migrate seasonally. It all seems to depend on the location the birds live in, and the amount of rainfall that happens.

The breeding season for these birds is also highly variable. Some populations breed int eh spring, while others do it year round. Male Doves will pursue the females on the ground by doing head bobs and giving out different calls. They will also advertise their availability by singing from tree perches and performing different aerial displays. Once mated the pair remains monogamous, and both parents will incubate and feed their young.  These birds feed on very small seeds, though sometimes they will also forage for insects.

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IUCN Status : Near Threatened
Location : Africa and the Middle East
Size : Body length up to 9in (22cm)

Classification :Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Columbiformes
Family : Columbidae -- Genus : Oena-- Species : O. capensis

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Wampoo Fruit Dove

While trekking through the Aviaries of the San Diego Zoo I came across several species of brightly colored Dove, including many beautiful examples of today's animal, the Wampoo Fruit Dove. (The name comes from the call that they make!)

These birds are the largest Fruit Doves found in New Guinea and Australia, and they measure up to 18in in length. Both males and females sport green and purple plumage, while juveniles are more dull in color.

As you may have already guessed, Wampoo Fruit Doves feed on fruit. They aren't especially picky either; they feed on whichever fruits are available in their geographic area at that time of the year. The Doves can even swallow large fruits whole! They live in flocks that rarely travel far from a specific range.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Australia and New Guinea
Size : Body length up to 18in (45cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Columbiformes
Family : Columbidae -- Genus : Ptilinopus -- Species : P. magnificus

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European Turtledove

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me, two Turtledoves...

Streptopelia turtur

Day two introduces us to the European Turtledove, a mostly-migratory member of the Pigeon family that lives in Europe during the spring and summer, and Africa during the autumn and winter. They can also be found as far east as China, and some populations that live in warmer areas (North Africa for example) remain there year round.

Do you know where Turtledoves get their name? It has nothing to do with a reptilian connection! It actually comes from their Latin species name turtur, which describes the purring sounds that they make.

It's a good thing there are two Turtledoves gifted in the song, because these birds live in pairs throughout the breeding season. Both sexes help to incubate the eggs, and the young Doves are off and on their own after only 20 days!

Outside of the breeding season the Turtledoves tend to live in large flocks. Groups that number into the thousands can be found at wintering sites in Africa! They forage for food in groups, and feed on nuts, seeds, fruits, and the occasional invertebrate.

European Turtledoves are listed as being of least concern because they have an incredibly massive range and a humongous worldwide population. In 2004 it was estimated that there were between 10 and 20 million birds just in Europe, and Europe only constitutes a fragment of the overall group. Numbers could be as high as 100 million! They are the most common native Dove on the entire European continent.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Europe, Africa
Size : Length up to 11in (29cm), Wingspan up to 22in (58cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Columbiformes
Family : Columbidae -- Genus : Streptopelia -- Species : S. turtur

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Pheasant Pigeon

Pheasant Pigeon

Pheasant Pigeons are large, terrestrial birds that can be found on New Guinea and nearby islands. They forage on the rainforest floors and build their nests on the ground. There are four recognized subspecies that vary by color and island location.

The subspecies have reddish-brown bodies with black heads and tails. The primary distinguishing feature between all four is the color of the nape of the neck. Green, white, gray, and black colored napes help to tell them all apart. 

The Pheasant Pigeons are rather interesting because they don't look especially pigeon-like, and because their behavior is more akin to that of their namesakes, the Pheasants. You see, there are no Pheasants in New Guinea, and the Pheasant Pigeons, which are the only species within their genus, have evolved to fill the niche that would have been occupied by Pheasants!

Though they are listed as being of Least Concern by the IUCN, Pheasant Pigeons are becoming rare in some parts of their range, and no global population survey has been undertaken. They are are also very few held in captivity.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern

Location : New Guinea
Size : Length around 18in (46cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Columbiformes
Family : Columbidae -- Genus : Otidiphaps -- Species : O. nobilis

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Nicobar Pigeon

Add caption

Nicobar Pigeons are large, colorful birds found on the Nicobar Islands in the Indian Ocean. They are, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful pigeons out there.  They have amazing iridescent blue and green feathers, with longer, pointed fringes around the neck. Both males and females have this vibrant plumage.

Though they can fly, Nicobar Pigeons spend most of their time on the forest floor, foraging for food. They are omnivores that feed on fruits, seeds, and insects.

Interestingly, though they live mostly on the ground, they do nest in trees. They mate for life and feed their young with "Crop Milk." Like many pigeon species. Nicobar Pigeons forage and roost in flocks.

Sadly, like many gorgeous island birds, Nicobar Pigeons are threatened due to predation by introducted species like cats and rats. They are also hunted for food and feathers, and are collected for the illegal pet trade.

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IUCN Status : Near Threatened

Location : Nicobar Islands

Size : Length up to 16in (40cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Columbiformes
Family : Columbidae -- Genus : Caloenas -- Species : C. nicobarica

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Superb Fruit Dove

Male

Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Columbiformes
Family : Columbidae
Genus : Ptilinopus
Species : superbus

Length : 9in (23cm)

IUCN Status : Least Concern

As the resident of a large city, I am insanely jealous of the beautiful pigeons and dove found in Australia and New Guinea. Sure, our good old Rock Pigeons can be sort of neat looking sometimes, but overall they can't hold a candle to the Victoria Crowned Pigeon, or today's animal, the Superb Fruit Dove. This species, found in New Guinea, Indonesia, the Philippines, Australia, and various other islands, has striking coloration in both males an females, though the male has an absolutely fantastic color palette.

Female

Superb Fruit Doves live up in the canopy, and the females are predominantly green in order to remain camouflaged. They do however, have speckles of other colors, including a purple crown. Males take that crown to a whole new level, mixing it with a bright orange neck, blue breast, and green feathers and bands elsewhere. Juveniles resemble females, though they lack the purple crown.

Superb Fruit Doves live alone or sometimes in pairs, and they feed primarily off of fruits. They build nests out of twigs a few meters from the ground, and lay one egg at a time. This egg is watched over by the female at night and the male by day. Many birds migrate between New Guinea and areas in Australia each year.

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Pink Pigeon

Pink Pigeon

Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Columbiformes
Family : Columbidae
Genus : Nesoenas
Species : mayeri

Length : 13in (32cm)
Weight : 12oz (350g)

IUCN Status : Endangered

The Pink Pigeon is another one of those species that was on the brink of extinction only a few years ago. Without the tireless efforts of dedicated conservationists, this species, found only on Mauritius, would've been gone forever. In 1990 the population was down to only 10 wild birds. There are now around 300.

Like many other island bird species, the Pink Pigeon saw its number cut due to the introduction of non-native animals like rats. One of the conservation measures is to reduce the number of these damaging predators. Other steps include captive breeding, reintroduction, restoration of habitat, and supplementary feeding.

Pink Pigeons look quite a bit like the common Rock Pigeons that many of us see every day.... except that they are pink! They live in small flocks that feed on vegetative  material. Breeding pairs are monogamous, and both parents help to build nests, incubate, and care for their young.

The Pink Pigeon has thus far been a success story for Mauritius. However, one of it's closest island cousins, the Dodo, was not so lucky, and went completely extinct in 1680.

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Cher Ami

We're going to begin famous animals week with the extraordinary story of a remarkable bird that was responsible for saving the lives of nearly 200 men. Way back when, in a post about Rock Pigeons, I mentioned that these birds had long been used by the military for the delivery of messages. Cher Ami was one of these wartime Pigeons. His name meant "Dear Friend" and he flew 12 missions during World War I.

Cher Ami was active in the Verdun campaign, and his last mission, flown on October 18th, 1918 is one of the most remarkable animal stories I've ever heard. . The Lost Battalion of the 77th Infantry Division had become trapped and surrounded by enemy soldiers. The commander, Major Wittlesey, had sent out several pigeons with messages for assistance, but all had been shot down, and the group of 600 men had dwindled down to around 200. Cher Ami was their only pigeon left. The following note was attached to the bird's leg :

(Image Source)

"We are along the road parallel to 276.4.
"Our own artillery is dropping a barrage directly on us.
"For heaven's sake, stop it."

Cher Ami took off, and was shot at by German soldiers. He received a wound through the breastbone, and was blinded in one eye, but Cher Ami just kept flying. He made the 25 mile flight in only 25 minutes. When he arrived as his destination his message leg was completely mangled, and the note was hanging on by a tendon. He saved 194 lives.

Doctors worked to save the heroic bird; they were unable to save his leg, but he did eventually recover enough to travel to the United States. His boat was personally seen off by General Pershing.

Cher Ami received the French Croix de Guerre for his service, and was inducted to the Racing Pigeon Hall of Fame. He eventually died from his war wounds, but almost a year after his famous flight, in June 1919.

Cher Ami was mounted by a taxidermist and is now viewable with his Croix de Guerre at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

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Victoria Crowned Pigeon

I know I wrote about another pigeon just last week, but I read about these guys in a book yesterday and just had to learn more about them. Pigeon the size of a turkey you say? To the internet!

Image from MDH

The Victoria Crowned Pigeon is the largest living species of pigeon. They can stand over 70cm tall, and weigh up to 5lbs, with the males being slightly larger than the females. They are actually not the largest pigeons of all time, however. The extinct Dodo was a member of the pigeon family, and weighed over 40lbs! Victoria Crowned Pigeons sport beautiful blue and purple plumage, including a crest that the top of their head. Both the males and females display these dazzling colors and crests. They are named for both their crest, and for Britain's Queen Victoria. They are found in the dense forests of New Guinea and other small, surrounding islands.

Like many bird species, the Victoria Crowned Pigeon mates for life. A nest is built from twigs and leaves, and in it is laid one egg. Both parents incubate it until hatching after 4 weeks. The chick is naked and helpless, and is fed crop milk by both parents for the first few days before switching over to a regurgitated diet. They fledge after about a month, but will continue to stay with their parents for a few weeks longer. As mentioned in the Rock Pigeon post, Pigeons (and Flamingos) are unique birds in that they produce the aforementioned crop milk, which is a secretion not all that different from mammals milk, but is produced in a part of their throat.

Unfortunately, the Victoria Crowned Pigeons beautiful plumage has attracted unwanted human attention. They have been poached for their feathers, and have been snatched out of the wild for the illegal pet trade. Deforestation and hunting has also hurt their numbers, and they are now considered a vulnerable species.

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Rock Pigeon

You may recognize today's bird. For it is the Rock Pigeon, conqueror of city sidewalks world round! Rock Pigeons (Columba livia) can be found just about everywhere, either as a native species or as an introduced one. Aside from urban areas, rock pigeons can be found in their native, rocky cliff habitats, and in open, unwooded areas. Pigeons are non-migratory, and they have the ability to find their way home from just about any location. It is speculated that they are able to do this because in nature they were forced to find their specific nest within a large colony setting.

Image from Birding Information

There are actually several subspecies of the rock pigeon. These include the wild birds, domestic pigeons, and the feral, city dwelling populations. There is evidence that pigeons were domesticated between 5,000 and 10,000 years ago. Humans have used pigeons for many purposes over the years. They have been used as a food supply, as animals for experimentation, for sport, and as message carriers. During World Wars I and II, pigeons were used extensively as message carriers, and participated in battles such as Ypres, Verdun, and the Normandy Invasion. Several pigeons were award the Dicken Medal, the U.K.'s highest animal award. Charles Darwin wrote about Rock Pigeons at length, and even kept a few of them for his studies.

Pigeons are herbivores, and only rarely will they consume insects. Their diet consists of fruit, seeds, and whatever things they can scavenge off of the sidewalks. In the wild they nest in high, cliff areas, which made the transition to urban dwelling perhaps a bit easier. Both parents care for their young, feeding them a substance called "pigeon milk" that is produced in their crop. Pigeons come in a wide variety of colors, though grey is the most common. Their feet are nearly always pink.

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