Atoll fruit dove facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Atoll fruit dove
Conservation status
Near Threatened (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Columbiformes
Family:	Columbidae
Genus:	Ptilinopus
Species:	P. coralensis
Binomial name
Ptilinopus coralensis Peale, 1849
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The Atoll Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus coralensis) is a beautiful bird that belongs to the Columbidae family, which includes doves and pigeons. This special dove lives only in the Tuamotu archipelago in French Polynesia. It makes its home in warm, wet forests and old plantations, like coconut farms. Sadly, its home is shrinking, which puts this bird in danger.

Where It Lives

The Atoll Fruit Dove lives across many islands in the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. A survey in 1999 found that it was not very common on some islands. However, on other islands, it was found to be quite common. These are usually islands where animals brought by people, like rats, have not caused problems.

How It Lives

The Atoll Fruit Dove is unique because it's the only dove in the tropical Pacific that lives only on low coral atolls. These are ring-shaped islands made of coral. It lives in forests and old, unused coconut farms. This dove mostly eats insects and seeds, often finding its food on the ground. It also likes to eat the leaves of the "tafano" or "kahaia" trees, which have sweet-smelling flowers.

What Threatens It

The Atoll Fruit Dove faces danger from rats. These rats have made homes on some of the islands where the doves live and hunt them. The dove's home is also being destroyed when people cut down trees. Old coconut farms, which the doves use, are also being lost. This bird is quite friendly and doesn't often live near people. Because of this, hunting could also be a problem for them.