Norfolk Ground Dove

Norfolk Ground Dove ( Gallicolumba norfolciensis )

The Norfolk Ground Dove ( Gallicolumba norfolciensis ) is an extinct pigeon from the genus of Indo-Pacific Earth Dove. She was endemic to Norfolk Island.

Description

The Norfolk Ground Dove is known by a description of the ornithologist John Latham, a drawing by John Hunter in 1790 and four fossil bones that were found in the Cemetery Bay and Emily Bay on Norfolk Island in 1985 and 1997. After Latham's description of the Norfolk Ground Dove was about 35 inches tall. Head, neck and chest were white. The bottom and the beak were black. The tail was purple black and the legs red. According to calculations by the New Zealand Paläozoologen Richard N. Holdaway the Norfolk Ground Dove reached a weight of 200 grams.

Extinction

When the Europeans 1774, the Norfolk Island populated, they found bird species that showed no shyness. Within a short time, Norfolk Ground Dove was extirpated by overhunting and introduced mammals. Towards the end of the 18th century it was no longer detected.