Nilgiri wood pigeon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nilgiri wood pigeon |
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| Nilgiri wood pigeon Columba elphinstonii | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Columba
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| Species: |
elphinstonii
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| ● range records | |
| Synonyms | |
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Alsocomus elphinstonii |
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The Nilgiri wood pigeon (Columba elphinstonii) is a large pigeon that lives in the wet deciduous forests and special grassy areas called sholas in the Western Ghats of southwestern India. These birds mostly eat fruits and look for food high up in the trees of thick hill forests. You can easily spot them because of their big size, dark colors, and a unique checkerboard pattern on the back of their neck.
What Does the Nilgiri Wood Pigeon Look Like?
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This pigeon looks dark grey. It has a special black and white pattern on the back of its neck. This pattern is made of stiff feathers with white tips. The upper part of its back, called the mantle, is a chestnut brown color.
Male pigeons have a lighter grey head. Females have a darker grey head with a pale throat. Another bird, the mountain imperial pigeon, looks a bit similar. But the Nilgiri wood pigeon has darker feathers under its wings. The feet and the bottom part of its beak are red. This bird was named after Mountstuart Elphinstone, who lived from 1779 to 1859.
Where Do Nilgiri Wood Pigeons Live?
You can find these pigeons mainly along the Western Ghats mountain range. They also live in the Nilgiri Hills. While they mostly stay in the hills, you might sometimes see them at lower places within the Western Ghats. A few small groups of these birds still live in high hills. These include the Biligirirangan Hills and Nandi Hills near Bangalore.
What Do Nilgiri Wood Pigeons Do?
Nilgiri wood pigeons are usually seen alone, in pairs, or in small groups. They almost always eat while in the trees. Sometimes, they go down to the ground to eat fruits that have fallen. They mostly eat fruits, but they have also been seen eating small snails and other tiny creatures.
Their breeding season is from March to July. During this time, they build a simple nest from twigs. They lay just one white egg. You can often see the egg from under the nest. These pigeons eat large fruits. They help spread the seeds of many forest trees. Fruits from the Lauraceae plant family are a favorite food. They gather most of their food by picking it from the outer branches of trees. They have also been seen eating soil. This might give them minerals or help them digest food. They often move around the forest. This depends on when their favorite fruit trees have fruit. Their call is a loud, low hooting sound. It sounds like "who" followed by deep "who-who-who" notes.
