Mindanao brown dove facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mindanao brown dove |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Phapitreron
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| Species: |
brunneiceps
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The Mindanao brown dove (Phapitreron brunneiceps) is a special kind of bird. It is a threatened species, which means it is at risk of disappearing. This dove belongs to the Columbidae family, which includes pigeons and doves.
This bird lives only in the forests of the Philippine islands of Mindanao and Basilan. However, it has not been seen on Basilan since 1937. The Mindanao brown dove is in danger because its forest home is being destroyed. It is also threatened by hunting. Not long ago, this bird was thought to be the same as the Tawitawi brown dove. Together, they were called the dark-eared brown dove.
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What Does the Mindanao Brown Dove Look Like?
The Mindanao brown dove is a medium-sized bird. It lives in forests from lowlands up to the middle parts of mountains. Its back is dark brown. It has a brown head and a purplish shine on its neck and upper back.
Its belly is grayish, and the area under its tail is light brown. The tip of its tail is a pale gray color. These birds are mostly brown. They have a shiny reddish-violet patch on the sides of their neck. Their upper parts are a warm, dark brown.
How to Tell it Apart from Other Doves
Adult Mindanao brown doves look a bit like the amethyst brown dove and the white-eared brown dove. But you can tell them apart by a few things. The Mindanao brown dove has a brown top of its head. Its belly is a reddish-gray color.
The feathers under its tail are buff-colored. Its back is also less olive green. Its neck is a little darker than its head. It has a thin dark line under its eye. This dove has a black beak and dark pink feet with brown nails. Its eyes are orange-red.
The amethyst brown dove is the biggest of these three types of doves. The Mindanao brown dove is in the middle, and the white-eared brown dove is the smallest. The Mindanao brown dove is very different from the Tawitawi brown dove. It is much darker and does not have the peachy color of the Tawitawi brown dove.
What Does it Sound Like?
The Mindanao brown dove has a unique call. It sounds like a series of notes that get faster and faster. People describe it as "wup-pup-pup-pu-pu-pu-pu." It can remind you of a ping-pong ball bouncing on a table.
Why is the Mindanao Brown Dove in Danger?
This dove lives in tropical forests. It prefers moist lowland forests and moist forests on the lower parts of mountains. You can usually find it between 900 to 2,000 meters above sea level. Sometimes, it is seen much lower, around 150 meters.
It likes humid areas and thick re-growing forests. We are not sure if these birds move to different places during the year or to different heights. But it is possible they move around locally.
How Many Doves Are Left?
The IUCN, a group that studies nature, says this bird is a vulnerable species. They believe there are about 2,500 to 9,999 adult birds left. It is considered rare in the areas where it lives.
The main dangers to this dove are its forest home being destroyed and hunting. People hunt them for food and to sell as exotic pets. Cutting down trees illegally is not as common in high mountains. This is because most trees there are not valuable for wood. Also, the slopes are too steep to turn into farms. However, mining, both legal and illegal, is a big problem.
Where Do They Live and How Are They Protected?
The Mindanao brown dove lives in a few protected areas. These include Mount Kitanglad National Park, Mount Apo Natural Park, Mount Malindang National Park, and Mount Hilong-hilong. Mount Matutum has also been suggested as a national park.
But even in these protected places, forests are still being cut down. Hunting also still happens because protection is not always strong.
What Can We Do to Help?
Experts suggest a few things to help these doves. They want to study the birds to find out how many there are. They also want to learn where they live and what kind of habitat they need. This includes checking areas in Mindanao that have not been studied much.
It is also important to make sure the remaining forests in key areas are truly protected. This will help keep the Mindanao brown dove safe for the future.
