Seychelles blue pigeon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Seychelles blue pigeon |
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| On Denis Island, Seychelles | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Alectroenas
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| Species: |
pulcherrimus
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The Seychelles blue pigeon (Alectroenas pulcherrimus) is a beautiful bird. It is also known as the Seychelles blue fruit dove. This medium-sized pigeon lives in the forests of the Seychelles islands. These islands are found in the Indian Ocean.
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What Does the Seychelles Blue Pigeon Look Like?
The Seychelles blue pigeon is about 10 inches (25.4 cm) long. Its head and chest are a shiny silver-grey color. When the bird gets excited, it can fluff up these feathers. This makes it look a bit ruffled.
Its wings, belly, and tail are a deep dark blue. It has a bright red patch of skin around its eyes. This patch goes from its forehead to the top of its head. The bird's bill is a dull yellow, and its legs are dark grey.
Young pigeons look quite different. Their heads and chests are dark grey. Their upper body is dark greenish-brown with light yellow edges. The feathers on their crown have clear green edges. They also have a dark pink wattle (a fleshy growth) around their eyes.
Where Do These Pigeons Live?
The Seychelles blue pigeon lives on most of the larger islands in the Seychelles. These are islands made of granite rock. You can also find them on Denis Island and Bird Island. These two islands are on the edge of the Seychelles Bank.
The number of these birds has grown a lot. People used to hunt them for food, but this stopped in the late 1970s. Since then, the pigeons have moved back to many islands. They returned to Curieuse in the early 1980s. They came back to Denis in the late 1980s. They also returned to Aride Island in 1990 and Bird Island in 2009.
How Do Seychelles Blue Pigeons Behave?
You might see these pigeons alone, in pairs, or in small groups. When they are trying to find a mate, the male birds do a special dance. They fly high above the trees. Then, they dive down very fast, holding their wings stiffly forward. They might do this several times before landing in a tree.
Once on a branch, the male will bow and make cooing sounds to the female. He raises the feathers on his neck and head. He might also strut up and down the branch with his feathers spread. He will turn his head all the way around, then back again.
What Do They Eat?
Seychelles blue pigeons mostly eat seeds and fruit.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
These pigeons can breed at any time of the year. However, they are most active from October to April. The female pigeon builds the nest all by herself. It is a messy platform made of twigs in a tree or bush.
Usually, the female lays one white egg. Sometimes, she lays two. The parents take turns sitting on the egg for about 28 days. This is called incubation. After the egg hatches, the baby bird is ready to leave the nest in about 21 days. This is called fledging.
Protecting the Seychelles Blue Pigeon
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In the past, people hunted these pigeons for food. Farmers also shot them because they thought the birds were pests. But now, the pigeon population is doing very well.
Protecting their natural homes is very important for these birds. Blue pigeons have strong gizzards. A gizzard is a part of their stomach that grinds up seeds. Because of this, their droppings do not contain whole seeds that can grow into new plants. This is different from other pigeons.
