Andaman cuckoo-dove facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Andaman cuckoo-dove |
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| Andaman cuckoo-dove female and male from Mount Harriet National Park, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India | |
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| Genus: |
Macropygia
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| Species: |
rufipennis
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The Andaman cuckoo-dove (Macropygia rufipennis) is a special type of bird that belongs to the Columbidae family, which includes doves and pigeons. This bird lives only in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India. It's known for its small body, long tail, and pretty rusty-brown feathers.
You can often hear its call, which sounds like a repeated "koo" or "whoo-whup." Even though it's becoming rarer because of changes to its home and some hunting, experts currently list it as a species of "Least Concern." Groups like the Department of Environment and Forests and the Zoological Survey of India are working to keep an eye on these birds and protect them. These doves usually live in forests and love to eat fruits and berries. They are thought to lay their eggs between February and April, but there's still a lot to learn about them!
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What Does It Look Like?
The Andaman cuckoo-dove has a slim body and a small head. Its most noticeable feature is its long tail and its beautiful rusty color all over its body.
When it calls, it makes a sound like "whoo-whup." The first part of the call is smooth, and the second part is shorter and higher in pitch.
Protecting the Andaman Cuckoo-Dove
The Andaman cuckoo-dove lives across a wide area. Because of this, it's not yet considered "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). However, experts believe its numbers are slowly going down. This is mainly because its forest home is changing, and some hunting still happens.
The decline isn't fast enough yet to be called "vulnerable." This would mean a drop of more than 30% in ten years. Scientists haven't counted the exact number of these birds, but the decrease isn't thought to be huge right now. So, it's currently listed as a species of "Least Concern."
Groups like the Department of Environment and Forests and the Zoological Survey of India are working hard to protect these birds. They are watching the bird population closely. They plan to do surveys to find out exactly how many birds there are. They also study the forests where the birds live to see how much the environment is changing. Their main goals are to understand how much the forests are being affected, find out why the bird numbers might be dropping, and stop hunting by teaching people about the importance of protecting these doves.
Where Do They Live?
The Andaman cuckoo-dove makes its home in thick evergreen forests and other types of forests that are growing back. You can often find them in these forests, especially near the edges. They usually stay high up in the treetops.
These birds really depend on forests to survive. They typically live at low heights, from sea level up to about 100 meters. They are found only in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India. Important places for these cuckoo-doves include the Nicobar Islands, Nancowry Island, and Trinkat.
What Do They Eat and How Do They Breed?
What Do They Eat?
The Andaman cuckoo-dove mainly eats fruits and berries. They especially like fruits from plants like Vitis spp and Leae spp.
How Do They Breed?
The breeding season for these doves is thought to be from February to April. Male birds ready for breeding have been found during these months. However, scientists still don't know much about where they build their nests, what their nests look like, or what their eggs look like.
There isn't much recent information about this species. Even though they are not considered "globally threatened" because their numbers haven't dropped very quickly since 2017, they are still a species that needs attention and protection. They are found in the Andaman Islands, which is an important area for birds.
