Snow Pigeon
Snow pigeon
The Snow Pigeon (Columba leuconota ), also known as nuns pigeon or dove white-backed, is a species of pigeons birds and belongs to the subfamily of Columbinae. The snow pigeon, which is closely related to the rock dove, occurs in two subspecies in East Asia. It is classified by the IUCN as a non- endangered species.
Appearance
The snow dove reaches a body length of 35 centimeters. This makes it about as big as a city pigeon, but differs from it by longer wings and a longer tail.
The head is dark gray to black. The neck and chest are white. The mantle and the smaller wing-coverts are bright gray-brown. The other wing feathers are light slate gray. The tail feathers are black and have a broad white band on.
Distribution and behavior
The snow dove is an East Asian pigeon whose main range is the Himalaya region. She comes from Afghanistan to Nepal and Tibet to Western China and the northwestern Burma before. During the summer season they can also be observed in the southwest of Turkestan. Its distribution area is estimated at about 2.7 million square kilometers.
Their habitat are high mountain ranges. In Nepal, the snow dove broods example, at altitudes 4000-5000 meters. In Tibet, it was observed that the dove daily large vertical migrations makes, where she overcomes an altitude of 2,000 meters. The beds of snow pigeons are there 4600-5000 meters. The feeding grounds are, however, at an altitude of about 2,600 meters above sea level. The Snow Doves feed in the morning in large schools the mountainsides down and up again in the afternoon. On the feeding grounds it is frequently observed together with clip pigeons.
Snow pigeons eat seeds and berries. She is a rock breeder who built her nest in crevices and caves. They often nest in colonies. The clutch consists of two eggs. The incubation period is 18 days.