Doves and Pigeons
This photo album comprises three galleries featuring bird portraits that belong to the Doves and Pigeons (Columbidae) family placed in Columbiformes. The first gallery displays images from the Columbinae and Claravinae subfamilies, while the next two show photos from Raphinae. See Taxonomy note at the end of this page.
Doves and Pigeons
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Dove and Pigeon (Claravinae and Columbinae) Notes
Apart from the Pink Pigeon now assessed as Vulnerable, all others are ‘red list 2019’ assessed as ‘Least Concern’. The Pink Pigeon, a Mauritius endemic, was listed as ‘Endangered’ when I photographed it back in 2014. There were less than 500 individuals distributed in five sub-populations in the Black River Georges National Park. The population is now stable with 290-999 mature individuals.
The first two images are American Ground-Doves (Claravinae). The next three belong to Columbinae, tribe Zenaidini (NW) and the remaining photos to tribe Columbini (OW).
Endemic species include the Pink Pigeon, Galapagos Dove and the Australian Brown Cuckoo Dove and White-headed Pigeon. The Madagascar Turtle Dove is an introduced species in Seychelles.
The Rock Dove is commonly known as a ‘Pigeon’, ‘Feral Pigeon’ or ‘Rock Pigeon’. Wild ancestors of domesticated pigeons with introduced and feral populations worldwide. Pigeons have wide colour variation from white through to black. Note that ‘Rock Pigeon’ conflicts with the names of two Australian Petrophassa species.
Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis aka Streptopelia chinensis. The local subspecies in Singapore is possibly tigrina or chinensis (nominate).
Australasian Doves and Pigeons
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Australasian Dove and Pigeon Notes
All the displayed species in the gallery are ‘Red List 2019’ assessed as ‘Least Concern’ and belong to Subfamily Raphinae, tribe Phabini. The two bronzewings and Crested Pigeon are Australian endemics. Both the Bar-shouldered Dove and Peaceful Dove are Australasian endemics.
Due to introductions, the Zebra Dove has well-established feral populations around the world. The gallery includes an individual from the Seychelles feral population, locally known as a Barred Ground Dove. Most sources show the population limited to Southern Thailand, Malay Peninsula, parts of Borneo, Sumatra, Java, and the Philippines. There is uncertainty about its original native range.
Old Word Doves and Pigeons
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Old Word Dove and Pigeon Notes
The endemic New Zealand Pigeon is ‘Near Threatened’ while all other species shown in the gallery are ‘Red List 2019’ assessed as ‘Least Concern’, all have a wide distribution. The birds featured in the gallery do not exhibit plumage dimorphism except for the Common Emerald Dove. The gallery shows a Torresian Imperial Pigeon white morph. I came across the pair of New Zealand Pigeons on Long Point Road in the Catlins; they were happy to pose for photos.
Dove and Pigeon Taxonomy
Columbiformes (Doves and Pigeons), an order with only one family. Columbidae splits into three subfamilies:
(a) Columbinae with two tribes Zenaidini (Quail-doves from the New World) and Columbini (Old and New World species),
(b) Claravinae (New World Ground-doves),
(c) Raphinae contains five tribes of Old World Doves and Pigeons: Phabini (Australasian Pigeons and Doves), Raphini, Treronini (Green-Pigeons), Turturini (-), and Ptilinopini (Fruit-Doves and Imperial-Pigeons).