Pied cuckoo-dove facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pied cuckoo-dove |
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Reinwardtoena
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browni
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The pied cuckoo-dove (Reinwardtoena browni) is a type of bird in the pigeon family, called Columbidae. An English zoologist named Philip Sclater first described this bird in 1877. It lives only in the Bismarck Archipelago, which is a group of islands.
These doves mostly live in forests found in lowlands and on hills. They can be found at heights of up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft). The pied cuckoo-dove is a large and special-looking pigeon. It grows to be about 40–46 cm (16–18 in) long and weighs around 279–325 g (9.8–11.5 oz).
Adult pied cuckoo-doves are mostly black and white. Their heads and bellies (underparts) are whitish. Their wings, tails, and backs (upperparts) are black. Both male and female doves look the same. Young doves are mostly a sooty-grey color.
These birds are usually seen alone or in pairs. They can be quite hard to spot in the wild. Pied cuckoo-doves eat fruit. Only one nest has ever been found, back in May 1930. It was a simple nest made of twigs. It was on rocky ground near a stream and held one white egg.
Scientists believe there are about 15,000 to 30,000 pied cuckoo-doves in total. The IUCN Red List says they are "near threatened." This means their numbers are going down. This is mainly because the lowland forests where they live are being cut down. Some studies suggest they can handle some changes to their homes. Because of this, some think they should be listed as "least concern" instead.
Contents
About the Pied Cuckoo-Dove
The pied cuckoo-dove was first described in 1877. This was done by Philip Sclater, an English zoologist. He first called it Macropygia browni. Later, in 1882, an Italian bird expert, Tommaso Salvadori, moved it to the group (genus) called Reinwardtoena.
The name Reinwardtoena honors a Dutch scientist named Caspar Georg Carl Reinwardt. It combines his name with an old Greek word for "pigeon." The name browni honors a Scottish missionary named George Brown. The official common name for this bird is the pied cuckoo-dove. This name was chosen by the International Ornithologists' Union.
The pied cuckoo-dove is one of three species in the Reinwardtoena group. It looks very much like the great cuckoo-dove. Sometimes, these two birds are thought of as very close relatives that live in different places. The pied cuckoo-dove does not have any different types (subspecies) that are officially recognized today.
What the Pied Cuckoo-Dove Looks Like
The pied cuckoo-dove is a large pigeon with a long tail. It measures about 40–46 cm (16–18 in) long. It weighs between 279–325 g (9.8–11.5 oz).
Its forehead and face are a greyish-white color. This color changes to a shiny silvery-grey on top of its head and the back of its neck. The neck itself is a lighter silvery-grey. The upper back, lower back, rump, tail, and wings are all blackish. The wings and middle tail feathers have a shiny blue-black look. The outer tail feathers have a faint grey band in the middle.
Its underside, from its throat to its belly, is white. This changes to a dark bluish-grey near its undertail and sides. The bird's eyes can be red or yellow. Its beak is grey or brown with a reddish part at the bottom. Its feet are dark red. Both male and female adult birds look the same. Young birds are mostly a sooty-grey color. They do not have any warm brown colors in their feathers.
It's easy to tell this bird apart from other pigeons in its area. This is because of its unique black-and-white colors. However, it looks very similar to its close relative, the great cuckoo-dove. The pied cuckoo-dove has a shorter tail. Also, it does not have any chestnut-brown colors in its feathers, which the great cuckoo-dove does.
Bird Calls
The pied cuckoo-dove has a call that travels far. It starts with a short sound. Then, there is a long, sad sound that gets higher in pitch. It finishes with two low-pitched sounds. The very last sound is the deepest of all.
Where They Live and Their Home
The pied cuckoo-dove lives only in the Bismarck Archipelago. You can find it on islands like New Britain, New Ireland, New Hanover, Umboi, and others. It also lives on Manus and nearby islands in the Admiralty Islands.
These birds live in rainforests and coastal scrub areas. They are found in lowlands and on hills. They prefer tall forests and are most common in hilly areas. They are often missing from some lowland places. They can handle forests that are a little bit changed. But they do not live in forests that are very damaged and have few trees left.
How They Live
The pied cuckoo-dove is quite hard to find. It is usually seen alone or in pairs. They are often in the middle or top parts of the forest trees. When they rest, they stay low inside the forest. Sometimes, they rest on branches or vines that are out in the open. These doves eat fruits, such as berries.
Scientists do not know much about how these pigeons raise their young. Courtship displays, which are like bird dates, have been seen from March to May on New Hanover. They have also been seen in July on Dyaul and in August on New Britain.
The only known nest was found in May 1930. It was a simple nest made of twigs. It was on a rocky ledge above a stream on the island of New Britain. Nests usually have one white egg. Only the female bird has been seen sitting on the egg to keep it warm. The eggs are oval-shaped and measure about 34.71 mm × 25.03 mm (1.367 in × 0.985 in).
Protecting the Pied Cuckoo-Dove
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the pied cuckoo-dove as "near threatened." This means it could become endangered soon. The bird is not very common across the islands where it lives. There are an estimated 15,000 to 30,000 birds in total. About 10,000 to 19,999 of these are adult birds.
The biggest threat to these doves is a lot of logging, which is when trees are cut down. Hunting might also be a problem for them. This bird was once thought to be of "least concern." This meant its population decline was not seen as a big worry. But in 2008, it was changed to "near threatened." This happened after scientists realized its numbers were falling faster. This was due to a lot of trees being cut down in lowland forests.
More recent studies show that the pied cuckoo-dove can handle some changes to its home. Because of this, some experts have suggested it should be listed as "least concern" again.
