Comoros Olive Pigeon

Komorentaube (Columba pollenii )

The Komorentaube (Columba pollenii ) is a pigeon of the genus field pigeons (Columba ). It occurs in the Comoros. The specific epithet honors the Dutch naturalist François pollen.

Features

The Komorentaube reaches a body length of 35 to 40 cm. It is a heavy, very large, nearly uniform gray pigeon. In Flight distinct black gray hand and arm swing and lighter gray wing coverts are visible. The lower wings are similar to dark gray. The unmarked black gray tail is large and has a square end. The forehead is gray wine, the rest of the head is gray. The Balzkleid consists of white- fringed, maroon in the middle Lanzettfedern that appear as jagged stripes.

Vocalizations

The call is similar to that of olive pigeon ( Columba arquatrix ). However, there should be a deep - mooo reputation.

Habitat

The Komorentaube inhabits primary and secondary forests and lowland evergreen mountain forests. Most often they are found at high altitude, but on Maore ( Mayotte ), it is also to observe lower until at sea level. Although it is known that he visits during the foraging clearings and secondary breeds in forests, plantations and gardens belong not to their habitat.

Way of life

The Komorentaube is a state bird, which is largely confined to the lowland forests. However, it is known that it travels some distance from the resting places to the feeding grounds in the lowlands. There are non-cumulative hikes that are supposedly on the food supply depends. Komorentauben feed on a variety of fruits that you can find in the canopy. Also, berries, seeds, caterpillars and insects belong to the food supply. In search of food they sometimes come down to the ground and collect in gravel, which is to serve the digestion.

Breeding activities were observed from April to November, but in all probability the breeding season on the food supply over the year as a whole depends. The nest is built of twigs, grasses and leaves and is usually located up to 15 m above the ground in trees and shrubs along forest edges or clearings. Usually a single shiny white egg is laid, rarely it may be two. The clutch is incubated 17 to 20 days and the young fledge after about 20 days. Little is known about the mating behavior. The courtship flight of the male is, however, typical of the species group. It rises steeply, beats loud with the wings and then gliding with spread wings and tail feathers back to his preferred seat waiting.

Status

BirdLife International has set the Komorentaube on the " early warning " ( near threatened ). The threat comes not only from over-hunting and introduced predators, but also by the reluctance of Komorentaube compared to man-made habitats. The increasing deforestation of primary forests leads to habitat loss and stock losses. The Komorentaube is in primary upland forests locally common on Ngazidja ( Grande Comore ), Mwali ( Mohéli ) and Ndzuani ( Anjouan ). Your future depends on the protection of forests from the entire Comoros.