Cream-breasted fruit dove facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cream-breasted fruit dove |
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| Cream-breasted Fruit Dove merilli seen in the wild in South Sierra Madre. | |
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| A stamp of the merilli sub-species | |
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Columbiformes |
| Family: | Columbidae |
| Genus: | Ptilinopus |
| Species: |
P. merrilli
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| Binomial name | |
| Ptilinopus merrilli (McGregor, 1916)
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| Synonyms | |
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Cream-bellied Fruit Dove |
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The cream-breasted fruit dove (Ptilinopus merrilli) is a beautiful bird found only in the Philippines. It is also sometimes called the cream-bellied fruit dove. This special bird lives in the forests of the Luzon region.
It prefers warm, wet forests, from lowlands up to mountains as high as 1,300 meters (about 4,265 feet). Sadly, this dove is facing threats. Its home is shrinking, and some people try to catch it for the pet trade. Because of this, it is against the law in the Philippines to hunt, catch, or keep these doves.
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About the Cream-breasted Fruit Dove
This colorful bird is part of the Columbidae family, which includes all pigeons and doves. It's known for its unique cream-colored chest. The cream-breasted fruit dove is a type of Ptilinopus bird, a group that has over 50 different species of fruit doves!
Where Does It Live?
The cream-breasted fruit dove lives only in the Philippines. This means it is an endemic species, found nowhere else in the world! You can spot it mainly in the forests of Luzon, especially in areas like the Sierra Madre mountains. It loves forests that are still natural or have only been lightly logged.
What Does It Eat?
These doves are "frugivorous," which means they mostly eat fruits. They play an important role in their forest homes by helping to spread seeds from the fruits they eat.
Different Kinds of Cream-breasted Fruit Doves
Just like some animals have different types or "breeds," the cream-breasted fruit dove has two main kinds, called subspecies. They are slightly different depending on where they live:
- The merrilli subspecies: This is the original type. You can find it in southern Luzon, including the Sierra Madre mountains and the Catanduanes region.
- The faustinoi subspecies: This type lives in the mountains of northern Luzon. It has a special red patch on its head that the merrilli subspecies doesn't have.
Protecting This Special Bird
The cream-breasted fruit dove is listed as "near-threatened." This means it could become endangered if we don't protect it. The biggest problems it faces are:
- Habitat Loss: Forests where it lives are being cut down for farms or buildings.
- Hunting: Some people hunt these doves for food or try to catch them to sell as pets.
It's important to protect these beautiful birds and their forest homes so they can continue to thrive in the Philippines!
 | May Edward Chinn |
 | Rebecca Cole |
 | Alexa Canady |
 | Dorothy Lavinia Brown |
