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Pink Pigeon

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Birds

                   iPink Pigeon

                             Conservation status

   Endangered (EN)
            Scientific classification

   Kingdom: Animalia
   Phylum:  Chordata
   Class:   Aves
   Order:   Columbiformes
   Family:  Columbidae
   Genus:   Streptopelia
   Species: S. mayeri

                                Binomial name

   Columba mayeri
   Prevost, 1843
   Nesoenas mayeri
   Salvadori, 1893
   Streptopelia mayeri
   Johnson et al, 2001

   The Pink Pigeon is a species of Columbidae (doves and pigeons) endemic
   to Mauritius, and now very rare. It has been conserved through the
   efforts of Gerald Durrell and the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust
   in the 1960s. The book Golden Bats and Pink Pigeons by Gerald Durrell
   refers to the conservation efforts. The IUCN has recently downlisted
   the species from critically endangered to endangered. Mauritius has
   brought out a series of stamps depicting the endemic Pink Pigeon.

Description

   An adult pigeon is about 32 cm from beak to tail and 350 gram in
   weight. Pink pigeons have pale pink plumage on their head, shoulders
   and underside, along with pink feet and beak. They have dark brown
   wings, and a broad, reddish-brown tail. They have dark brown eyes
   surrounded by a ring of red skin.

   Newly hatched pigeons have sparse, downy-white feathers and closed
   eyes.

Phylogeny

   Initially classified as a true pigeon, it was re-classified in a
   monotypic genus by Tommaso Salvadori. Recent DNA analyses suggests its
   nearest neighbour on the phylogenetic tree is the geographically close
   Madagascar Turtle Dove (Streptopelia picturata), and has thus been
   placed in the Streptopelia genus, which mostly contains turtle doves.
   However, the two species form a distinct group that cannot
   unequivocally be assigned to either Streptopelia or Columba, and
   indeed, placing the two species in Nesoenas may best reflect the fact
   that they seem to belong to a distinct evolutionary lineage (Johnson et
   al., 2001).

Range

   It is only found in the Mascarene island of Mauritius, a related form
   having become extinct in the neighbouring larger Reunion Island.

   On Mauritius, it is found in patches of forest in the Southwest.

Habitat

   It prefers upland evergreen forests. Destruction of these forests have
   been a major reason for its decline.

Habits

Feeding Habits

   It feeds on native plants - by consuming buds, flowers, leaves, shoots,
   fruits and seeds. Non-native species like Guava pose a threat to it by
   preventing growth of native trees. It does supplement its diet at
   feeding stations manned by conservation officials.

Social Habits

   They feed and roost in small flocks.

Breeding Habits

   The breeding season starts in August-September. The male courts the
   female with a "step and bow" display. Mating is monogamous, with the
   pair making a flimsy platform nest and defending a small area around it
   (even though the pigeons initially had no natural predators). The
   female usually lays 2 white eggs, and incubation duration is 2 weeks.
   The male incubates during the day, and the female during night and
   early day.

   Males remain fertile till 17 - 18 years of age, females till 10 - 11
   years of age.

Rearing Young

   1 - 7 days: Chicks eyes closed, fed entirely on crop milk.

   7 - 10 days: Chicks undergo a dietary transformation to solid food.

   2 - 4 weeks: Chicks fledge, but are parent-fed.

   4 - 6/7 weeks: Chicks remain in the nest. After this the chicks leave
   the nest.

Demography and Longevity

   Due to habitat destruction, and non-native predators, the population
   had dropped to 10 in 1991. The captive breeding and reintroduction
   program initiated and supported by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation
   Trust, and largely carried out by the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation has
   resulted in a stable population of about 350 in the wild in 2001, as
   well as a healthy captive population as backup. There are more males
   than females in a population due to greater life expectancy of the male
   (about 5 years more). The average life expectancy upper bound is
   estimated at 17 - 18 years.
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_Pigeon"
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   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
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