South Africa boasts a rich variety of pigeon and dove species. Among the 15 species found in southern Africa, at least one can be found in every habitat, each with its unique beauty.
The Columbidae family includes all doves and pigeons and is the sole group within the Columbiformes order. These birds possess stout bodies, short necks, and short, slender bills, with some species featuring fleshy ceres. Dove and pigeon species are found worldwide, with the greatest diversity in the Indomalayan and Australasian regions. They primarily feed on seeds, fruits, and plants. The family consists of 344 species across 50 genera, including 13 extinct species.
While smaller species are often called "doves" and larger ones "pigeons" in English, this distinction is not consistent and doesn't apply in other languages. Familiar pigeons, such as the widespread domestic pigeon, nest in simple structures and lay mostly one or two white eggs. Both parents care for the young, known as squabs, which fledge between 25 and 32 days. Pigeons and doves are unique among birds for producing crop milk to feed their young.
Doves often symbolize love, peace, and the Holy Spirit in culture and religion, and are featured in Christianity, Islam, and portrayed as sacred in ancient mythology.
Let's delve into some remarkable pigeon species found in Africa.
Read also: Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority
African Olive-Pigeon (Columba arquatrix)
The Rameron/African Olive-Pigeon (Columba arquatrix) is one of the species in the genus Columba, which comprises medium to large stout-bodied pigeons. It is southern Africa’s largest pigeon known previously known as the Rameron Pigeon but now officially named the African Olive-Pigeon.
In isiZulu, the name of the Rameron/African Olive-Pigeon is iVukuthu-lehlathi. iVukuthu is the general term for dove, and like “turtur” in Latin (for turtle doves), it is imitative of the repetitive cooing sounds made by most doves and pigeons. As far as I can ascertain, lehlathi means “of the forest” in isiZulu, and so the name alludes to the bird’s forest habitat.
Habitat and Behavior
Rameron/African Olive-Pigeons live in the forest canopy in evergreen lowland, riverine and mountain forests, and they can also be found in some plantations and gardens. They occur in many countries in eastern, central and southern Africa from Ethiopia southwards.
As these pictures show, the African-Olive Pigeon is powerfully built. No exception to this rule, the African Olive-Pigeon is a swift flyer with quick regular wingbeats. All doves and pigeons are strong flyers and agile at maneuvering when in flight. Interestingly, their flight muscles make up 44% of their body mass. It is usually shy and very wary - a wise precaution against predation by some raptors, including the African Goshawk and the Black Sparrowhawk and also being killed by human hunters.
Read also: Amazing Facts About Africa
Although they are usually so wary, surprisingly, small flocks and even individual African Olive-Pigeons perch at times on the top of trees. The birds clamber around in the trees, often leaning forward at awkward angles to retrieve fruits. African Olive-Pigeons mostly eat small fruits and berries as well as seeds while foraging in tree canopies, and they rarely go to ground except to drink, a pattern of behaviour that is certainly the case in our garden. However, some sources say they do occasionally leave the treetops to retrieve fruits and seeds and even to catch insects and caterpillars on the ground. Typically they approach coming down to drink with great caution. These birds took their time before landing on the birdbath for a drink. Over the years the African Olive-Pigeons in our garden have become a little more accustomed to our presence, as long as we sit very still.
Nesting and Reproduction
Nests, made of sticks and twigs and sometimes lined with leaves protected by branches and foliage, are built high up in the fork of a tree, with the male collecting the material and the female building the nest. Pairs mate for life and share incubating their eggs and raising their young. Usually only one egg (rarely two) is laid in a clutch.
Conservation Status
Although their numbers seem to be declining, largely because of hunting and the loss and fragmentation of habitat, currently (because of their large range) they are not yet listed as a vulnerable species.
Read also: Discover Thula Thula
Calls
On the subject of calls, the African Olive-Pigeon has a very deep almost resonant call, including a deep quiet purring noise that is typical of many doves/pigeons and is thought to function in mate-bonding.
Speckled Pigeon (Columba guinea)
The speckled pigeon (Columba guinea), also known as the African rock pigeon or Guinea pigeon, is a pigeon that is a resident breeding bird in much of Africa south of the Sahara.
Description
Speckled pigeons are larger than their rock dove cousins, which are more commonly known as just “pigeons” in the United States. Speckled pigeons can reach up to 16 inches long. Males and females look the same, although males may be more heavily built. Speckled pigeons have grey bellies, tails, and heads. The back and top of the wings are maroon. The lower portion of their wings are adorned with white spots. The neck is maroon or brown in color with white streaks, adding to a fluffed appearance. There are no feathers around their golden-colored eyes, revealing the red skin below.
It is a medium-sized pigeon, at 32-35 cm in length similar in size to rock dove and stock dove. Its back and wings are rufous, the latter heavily speckled with white spots. The rest of the upperparts and underparts are blue-grey, and the head is grey with red patches of bare skin around the eye. The neck is brownish, streaked with white, and the legs are red. The sexes are similar, but immatures are browner than adults and lack the red eye patches.
Habitat and Diet
This species is found in many areas of Africa south of the Sahara Desert. They are found in grasslands, farmlands, and around human establishments. They are quick fliers but are also comfortable walking or running on the ground. They are usually seen in pairs but may congregate into large flocks.
Speckled pigeons primarily eat seeds, grains, and peanut crops. Like all members of the family Columbidae, speckled pigeons can suck water up through their beaks like a straw, whereas most birds have to toss their head back to drink.
Nesting and Reproduction
Breeding may occur year-round, but is most common during the end of the dry season. A male performs a dance of sorts by posturing, lowering his head, twitching his wings, and vocalizing. Pairs build a large stick nest in a tree, building or cliff. The female usually lays two small, white eggs which will hatch approximately two weeks later. When the eggs hatch, the chicks emerge covered in yellow down feathers. Both parents feed the chicks with crop milk (a secretion from the lining of the digestive tract). They will fledge 20-25 days after hatching. As they grow, their feathers will change from yellow to brown.
Conservation Status
The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the speckled pigeon’s conservation status as Least Concern. The speckled pigeon is quite common throughout its range, and its population is very stable.
Relationship with Humans
The speckled pigeon is frequently seen around human habitation and cultivation. Most of its food is vegetable, and it gathers in large numbers where grain or groundnuts are available. This species builds a large stick nest on protected rocky outcrops and in urban areas often atop covered pergola pillars and on flat roofs under deep eaves and lays two white eggs.
However, these birds do have a conservation connection with other members of their family, known by the common name as doves. Sometimes doves, and pigeons, are purchased from pet stores and released at special events. This can be harmful to both the birds and the local wildlife because the doves or pigeons may not know how to survive on their own, and could end up taking valuable resources from native wildlife in the area.
African Green-Pigeon (Treron calvus)
The African green pigeon (Treron calvus) is a species of bird in the family Columbidae, and one of 5 green pigeon species in the Afrotropics. Adult African green pigeons have maroon patches on the top of their wings and the juveniles have an olive color.
Description
From a distance they might not seem as colourful as you might have thought but do yourself a favour and look through a pair of binoculars - only then will you start to see their true beauty. If you view them from the bottom to the top you will firstly notice their bright orange/red legs and feet; their thighs are covered with vibrant yellow feathers; the bottom part of their body and the head and neck area are greyish green in colour; the back and tail has a more olive green to yellowish green colour; and finally, you will see their white eyes and their bright red and white beak. This colouration gives them the perfect camouflage in their environment while searching for fruit in the tree canopies and when situated on their nesting sight.
Habitat and Diet
They inhabit riparian forest, woodland and savanna, where they associate with fruiting trees, especially wild fig (Ficus) species, including Ficus sycomorus and Ficus sur, and in cities the ornamental Chinese banyan. They also take fruit of Saffrons (Cassine spp.), Jacket plum (Pappea capensis), Cordia africana , Buffalo thorn (Ziziphus mucronata), Water berry (Syzygium cordatum) and Jackalberry (Diospyros mespiliformis).
They eat a variety of different fruits, especially Jackalberry fruits and figs from Fig trees.
Collared Dove - UK Birds. Bird Song Identifier, Field Recording, Bird Song, Bird Call, Nature Sounds
Behavior
They may occur and breed in high densities but are prone to regular local movements. As with others in their genus, they frequent tree canopies where their parrot-like climbing ability enable them to reach fruit, but rarely also forage on the ground. Their call is a series of flowing whistles, rendered as 'thweeeloo, thweeeoo'.
Nesting and Reproduction
African Green Pigeons will normally nest in the thick leaf canopies of trees. The nest is saucer shaped and usually constructed with branched twigs. The twigs are quite thick and unlike most doves, African Green Pigeons won’t just pick twigs up from the ground, they will rather break twigs off from trees. The nest is usually lined with soft leaves from trees. They will normally nest between September and December. The female will usually lay two eggs and both male and female will incubate the eggs. The eggs will hatch into chicks after thirteen to fourteen days of incubation.
Popular articles:
tags: #Africa
