Speckled pigeon

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Speckled pigeon
Table Mountain, Cape Town, South Africa

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Columbiformes
Family: Columbidae
Genus: Columba
Species:
C. guinea
Binomial name
Columba guinea

The speckled pigeon (Columba guinea), also African rock pigeon or Guinea pigeon, is a

pigeon that is a resident breeding bird in much of Africa south of the Sahara. It is a common and widespread species in open habitats over much of its range, although there are sizable gaps in its distribution. It is sometimes referred to as the Guinea pigeon due to its similar coloring to some species of guineafowl
.

Taxonomy

In 1747 the English naturalist

binomial name Columba guinea and cited Edwards' work.[3]

There are two recognised subspecies:[4]

  • C. g. guinea Linnaeus, 1758 – Mauritania to Ethiopia south to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and northern Malawi
  • C. g. phaeonota Gray, G.R., 1856 – southwestern Angola to Zimbabwe and South Africa
Zerfenti, (Ethiopia
)

Description

This is a large pigeon at 41 cm in length. Its back and wings are rufous, the latter heavily speckled with white spots. The rest of the upperparts and underparts are blue-grey, and the head is grey with red patches around the eye. The neck is brownish, streaked with white, and the legs are red. Sexes are similar, but immatures are browner than adults and lack the red eye patches. The call is a loud doo-doo-doo.

Behaviour and ecology

The speckled pigeon is frequently seen around human habitation and cultivation. Most of its food is vegetable, and it gathers in large numbers where grain or groundnuts are available. This species builds a large stick nest on protected rocky outcrops and in urban areas often atop covered pergola pillars and on flat roofs under deep eaves and lays two white

eggs
. Its flight is quick, with regular beats and an occasional sharp flick of the wings that are characteristic of pigeons in general.

References

  1. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T22690080A118855992.en
    . Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  2. ^ Edwards, George (1747). A Natural History of Uncommon Birds. Vol. Part II. London: Printed for the author, at the College of Physicians. p. 75.
  3. ^ Linnaeus, Carl (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis (in Latin). Vol. 1 (10th ed.). Holmiae:Laurentii Salvii. p. 163.
  4. Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2021). "Pigeons"
    . IOC World Bird List Version 11.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 9 October 2021.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Columba guinea.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Speckled_pigeon&oldid=1157555902"