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.

---

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

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.

---

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

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.

---

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

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.

---

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

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.

---

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

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.

---

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

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.

---

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