Pink dove: description of the breed and habitat in nature, conservation status

Pink doves are different. At solemn events, birds with feathers of an unnatural color are often found. This shade is obtained using natural dyes. At the same time, pink birds exist in nature. However, they have a more natural shade of feathers. This type of pink pigeon is distinguished by a muted color. They have pinkish feathers on their back, head, neck, chest, back.

Appearance of pink dove

Such pigeons have an unusual appearance. There are pink-headed motley and pink-headed birds. Their habitat is small. Birds live in the tropical rainforests of Mauritius.

Pink pigeons, which are found in natural conditions, have significant differences from artificially obtained coral-colored birds. If you do not take into account the tone of the feathers, the birds in appearance strongly resemble the gray relatives. At the same time, certain properties are characteristic of them:

Individuals are small in size. The length of the body is 36-38 centimeters. Weight, on average, reaches 320-340 grams.
The neck is of medium length. It is somewhat shorter than normal pigeons.
The head is small and round in shape.
There is a ring of featherless skin around the eyes. It has a red tint. Irises are characterized by a dark yellow color.
The beak is considered to be quite powerful and longer compared to rock doves. It widens slightly towards the head. This part is characterized by a gradient hue - from a reddish place in the area of \u200b\u200bconnection with the head to a pink tip.
The paws are reddish in color and include 4 toes. There are no feathers on the paws. Claws are considered long and powerful.
The tail is pointing down and resembles a wide fan in shape.
Feathers on the chest of pink birds are considered less rigid compared to common rock doves. They seem light and fluffy. In appearance, the feathers resemble wool.

When flying, pink doves often make a low sound - "hoooo". In some situations, males are able to issue a battle cry that sounds like “cuckoo”.

Habitat

These birds are considered endemic representatives of the fauna. They live in a very limited area.In nature, pink doves are found in forests located in the southern part of the island of Mauritius. They can also be seen in the east of the coral island of Egret, which is located in the Indian Ocean.

Birds mostly live in forests in the thick of vines, where they manage to find a lot of food for survival and a normal existence.

At the end of the 19th century, birds began to be considered rare. At that time, literally a few hundred birds remained on the planet. By the end of the 20th century, the population had decreased to 10 individuals. This prompted scientists to take urgent measures to save the population. Today, approximately 400 pink doves are found in nature. At the same time, about 200 more birds live in captivity. Birds even got into the International Red Book as an endangered species.

What eats

Birds eat the plants that are found in their habitats. Depending on the season, pigeons eat fruits, seeds, buds.Often birds peck foliage, flowers, young shoots. When introduced into the natural conditions of the islands of alien cultures, birds lose their usual food. Therefore, places are created for them in which they can consume food given by a person. In this case, the birds eat cereals or corn. Such assistance is mainly required by individuals who are engaged in the cultivation of young offspring.

Feathers that are raised in captivity are adapted to different types of food. They use formulations based on greens, cereals, cereals. Fruits and carrots are also often present in their diet.

Bird lifestyle

Pink pigeons have a lifespan of about 20 years. And it is more in males. Birds fly well, but they do not like to travel impressive distances. In flight, birds can be seen by their high speed and excellent maneuverability.

Under natural conditions, wild pigeons live in small flocks of up to 25 individuals.They gather to live together and search for food. Feathers are monogamous in matters of reproduction. They constantly protect a specific territory and do not let even their own relatives into it.

Population and conservation status

Pink doves have long been on the verge of extinction. This forced the Darrell Conservation Fund to take action to save the population of these birds. This happened back in 1977. The Darrell Zoo in Jersey and Mauritius have created special conditions to raise these pigeons in captivity.

As a result of the activities carried out in 2001, the birds were released into the wild. At the same time, 350 individuals of this species fell into nature.

The exact reasons for the extinction of birds are still unknown. Ornithologists name a number of possible factors that come from humans:

Deforestation of the rainforests - they are considered the main habitat for birds;
pollution - pigeons are adversely affected by chemicals used in agriculture;
importation of predatory animals to the island - they lead to the destruction of birds.

The main threat to the existence of the pink dove is the destruction of nests and eating chicks by predators. Mongooses, rats, Japanese crabeater macaques lead to the destruction of birds. Also, a significant decrease in the bird population is associated with severe storms.

Scientists are sure that further preservation of the population of these birds without human help is impossible. That is why it is so important to carry out various activities to protect pigeons from predatory animals and to breed them in captivity.

Captivity

It is difficult to tame such pigeons.To date, these activities have not brought noticeable results. Individuals are considered very capricious. They are not able to adapt to various climatic factors. In addition, the birds are distinguished by their freedom-loving nature and find it difficult to navigate in open areas.

Aspirations to breed birds did not lead to the desired results. If people opened the aviaries, the birds just flew away without coming back. As a result, the birds were lost in space, not knowing where to fly. Sometimes the birds tried to cling to the flocks of rock doves. But this led to their rapid death. This was due to the difficulties in adapting to the food that the relatives used.

In the second half of the 19th century, American and German scientists managed to adapt the birds and place them in nurseries. There they were provided with suitable living conditions. At the same time, birds refused to mate and lay eggs. It was only in the second half of the 20th century that birds were settled in zoos, which provided suitable breeding conditions.

Pink doves are considered a rare bird species that is on the verge of extinction. Therefore, modern scientists are making a lot of efforts to preserve the population of birds and are breeding them in captivity.