Scarlet-breasted fruit dove facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Scarlet-breasted fruit dove
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Columbiformes
Family:	Columbidae
Genus:	Ptilinopus
Species:	P. bernsteinii
Binomial name
Ptilinopus bernsteinii Schlegel, 1863
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The scarlet-breasted fruit dove (scientific name: Ptilinopus bernsteinii) is a colorful bird that belongs to the Columbidae family, which includes doves and pigeons. This special bird lives only in Indonesia, specifically in a group of islands called the northern Moluccas.

It makes its home in warm, wet lowland forests, which are its natural habitat. The scarlet-breasted fruit dove is not considered to be in danger. It is listed as a species of "least concern" by the IUCN Red List. This means its population is stable and healthy. The bird was named in 1863 by Hermann Schlegel after one of his collectors, Heinrich Agathon Bernstein.

What Does It Look Like?

The scarlet-breasted fruit dove is a small to medium-sized bird. It measures about 29 centimeters (around 11 inches) long.

Its head is grey, often with a hint of green. The rest of its back and upper body, including its chest, are a bright green color. Male doves have a striking patch of bright red in the middle of their lower chest, which gives them their name. They also have an orange-yellow belly and chestnut-colored feathers under their tail. The feathers under their wings are also orange-yellow.

How Does It Behave?

This dove mainly eats fruit, which means it is a frugivorous species. It usually keeps quiet. People have described its calls as deep, soft "oohoo" sounds. It can also make strange growling noises.

The scarlet-breasted fruit dove often looks for food alone or in pairs. It quietly searches for fruit high up in the trees, among the forest canopies.

Status and Conservation

Since 1988, the scarlet-breasted fruit dove has been listed as a species of "least concern" on the IUCN Red List. This is good news because it means the bird is not currently at risk of disappearing.

Even though it lives in a specific area, that area is quite large, covering more than 20,000 square kilometers (about 7,700 square miles). The number of these doves seems to be steady. While no exact count has been done, experts believe there are more than 10,000 of them. This number is high enough that the species does not need to be listed as vulnerable. The scarlet-breasted fruit dove is described as "uncommon to moderately common," and there are no major threats known to its population right now.