| Brush bronzewing | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Columbiformes |
| Family: | Columbidae |
| Genus: | Phaps |
| Species: | P. elegans |
| Binomial name | |
| Phaps elegans (Temminck, 1809) | |
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| range | |
The brush bronzewing (Phaps elegans) is a species of bird in the pigeon family, Columbidae. It is endemic to Australia, with two biogeographically distinct subspecies.
The brush bronzewing is one of around 310 species in the family Columbidae [2] and can be classified into two distinct subspecies, P. elegans elegans and P. elegans occidentalis. [3] P. elegans was first described by C. J. Temminck in 1809. [4] [5]
The brush bronzewing is similar in size and shape to the closely related common bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera), however it's shorter and stockier in appearance. [4]
These birds are relatively small and range in size from 25 to 33 cm. [3] [4] Sexual dimorphism is apparent in these birds. Both sexes are dark-olive brown on top, rich chestnut in colour along the nape and shoulder with blue-grey underparts. [4] The brush bronzewing is named for the iridescent bars of blue and green across the inner secondary feather of each wing. [4]
The brush bronzewing is endemic to Australia, found in the South-West and South-East of the mainland with populations in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and also Tasmania. [4] The subspecies P. elegans occidentalis occurs as a geographically distinct population, in the southwest of WA. [3] [6]
This species favours dense coastal heathland, wet or dry sclerophyll forests, woodlands and some mallee areas. [2] [3] Habitats with dense shrub layers and foliage, including native species such as Banksia, Acacia, Melaleuca or Leptospermum, allow these cautious birds to find cover. [2] [4]
This bird feeds on seeds, berries and small insects; foraging primarily on the ground [6] [7] Like most granivores, the brush bronzewing will swallow small pieces of grit and pebble to aid the grinding of seeds within the gizzard. Local movements are likely a response to food and habitat availability. [4] Unlike the common bronzewing, feeding doesn't occur in small flocks, usually with birds foraging singly or in pairs. [4] [8] Also similarly to that species, the brush bronzewing drinks at dawn or dusk, approaching watering holes cautiously after landing a short distance away. [6]
The Brush Bronzewing exhibits a breeding display similar to the common bronzewing, including a courtship display of bowing and a vocal advertisement of a low repeated 'hoop' or 'whoo' call. [4] [6] Breeding occurs mainly between September - January, however incubation of eggs and hatchlings has been observed all year round. Young are semi-altricial and nidicolous, requiring warmth, nourishment and a high level of parental care. [4] The clutch usually consists of two eggs, which will be incubated for roughly 17 days and fledge after 16–20 days. [4] [6] Adult pairs will resume breeding 3–4 weeks after fledglings become independent.
Due to the shy and cautious nature of these birds, they will flush from their nests abruptly when they perceive a potential threat. This may be the cause of their low nesting success (~10%), with one study finding that seven young hatched from 29 eggs across 15 nests, of which only three survived to fledge. [4]
Birds tend to reside within their local habitats, with no long distance banding recoveries being and no large scale migrations apparent. In a study from 1967, one bird was recovered just 25 km from the initial banding site. [4] [6] These birds are rarely seen in flocking formation, preferring to move singly, in pairs or small family groups; the largest recorded gathering was a group of eight birds. [4] [6]
The brush bronzewing is listed as a species of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List and considered by BirdLife Australia to have secure populations in all states it occurs in. [1] [6]
Like many other ground-dwelling bird species, the bronze brushwing is threatened by introduced predators such as cats and foxes. Like several other species, it appears to have increased toxicity to non-native mammalian predators due to feeding on Gastrolobium plants, which may contribute to the maintenance of biodiversity in south-west Western Australia. [9]
The bronzewing pigeons are a group of pigeons native to Australia which have distinctive iridescent wing patches that appear bronze or green-brown in dull light, but flash in many bright colours in the sun as the bird moves. Three species are always known as "bronzewings" in the genus Phaps, and several broadly similar birds also have the trademark wing patch to a more or less obvious degree. Bronzewings are ground feeders, but are capable of very fast flight. They tend to browse quietly until disturbed, then remain still, their earthy browns blending into the earth and leaf litter until the intruder approaches too closely, when the bronzewings take off with an explosive burst of sudden wing clapping and feather noise, and disappear from sight within moments.
The crested pigeon is a bird found widely throughout mainland Australia except for the far northern tropical areas. Only two Australian pigeon species possess an erect crest, the crested pigeon and the spinifex pigeon. The crested pigeon is the larger of the two species. The crested pigeon is sometimes referred to as a topknot pigeon, a common name shared with the reddish crested Lopholaimus antarcticus of Eastern Australia.
The spinifex pigeon, also known as the plumed-pigeon or gannaway pigeon, is one of three endemic Australian bird species within the genus Geophaps. It occurs within a broader group known as bronzewing pigeons. This species is listed under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List category of "least concern". It most frequently occurs in arid and semi-arid habitats containing hummock-forming grasses of the genera Triodia and Plectrachne.
The pink pigeon is a species of pigeon in the family Columbidae endemic to Mauritius. The pink pigeon nearly became extinct in the 1970s and the 1990s and is still very rare. It is the only Mascarene pigeon that has not become extinct. It was on the brink of extinction in 1991 when only 10 individuals remained, but its numbers have increased due to the efforts of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust since 1977. While the population remains at below 500 birds as of 2011, the IUCN downlisted the species from Critically endangered to Endangered on the IUCN Red List in 2000, and then downlisted it again to Vulnerable in 2018.
Phaps is a genus of bronzewing pigeons in the family Columbidae that are native to Australia.
Geophaps is a small genus of doves. Established by George Robert Gray, it contains three extant species. The plumage and distribution suggests that all species within the genus have formed from a common ancestor and that through adaptive radiation they have varied greatly in size, shape and ecology.
The orange dove or orange fruit dove is a species of bird in the pigeon family Columbidae. One of the most colorful doves, the male has a golden olive head and elongated bright orange "hair-like" body feathers. The golden-olive remiges are typically covered by the long orange wing coverts when perched. The legs, bill and orbital skin are bluish-green and the iris is whitish. The female is a dark green bird with blackish tail and orange-yellow undertail coverts. The young resemble females.
The African olive pigeon or Rameron pigeon is a pigeon which is a resident breeding bird in much of eastern and southern Africa from Ethiopia to the Cape. Populations also are found in western Angola, southwestern Saudi Arabia and northern Yemen. It is locally common, although sizeable gaps in its distribution occur due to its habitat requirements.
The Chatham Islands pigeon, also known as the Chatham pigeon or parea, is a bird endemic to the Chatham Islands in New Zealand. Growing to 800g in weight and 55 cm in length, the Chatham Islands pigeon is closely related to the kererū or New Zealand pigeon, the only other species in the genus Hemiphaga.
The brown treecreeper is the largest Australasian treecreeper. The bird, endemic to eastern Australia, has a broad distribution, occupying areas from Cape York, Queensland, throughout New South Wales and Victoria to Port Augusta and the Flinders Ranges, South Australia. Prevalent nowadays between 16˚S and 38˚S, the population has contracted from the edges of its pre-European range, declining in Adelaide and Cape York. Found in a diverse range of habitats varying from coastal forests to mallee shrub-lands, the brown treecreeper often occupies eucalypt-dominated woodland habitats up to 1,000 metres (3,300 ft), avoiding areas with a dense shrubby understorey.
The common bronzewing is a species of medium-sized, heavily built pigeon. Native to Australia and one of the country's most common pigeons, the common bronzewing is able to live in almost any habitat, with the possible exception of very barren areas and dense rainforests. Its advertising call is an extraordinary mournful whooo repeated at metronomic intervals.
The black wood pigeon or Japanese wood pigeon is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is found in East Asia along shorelines of the Pacific's Korea Strait, Philippine Sea and East China Sea. It is believed to be the largest representative of the genus, Columba, and has a weight of around 550 grams (1.2 lb) and an overall length of 43 cm (17 in). Its natural habitats are temperate forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. The species is in decline owing to habitat loss, habitat degradation, deforestation and hunting. This wood pigeon is endemic to the laurel forest habitat.
The island bronze-naped pigeon, also known as the São Tomé bronze-naped pigeon or São Tomé pigeon, is a species of bird in the pigeon family, Columbidae. It is endemic to the Gulf of Guinea, where it is found on the islands of São Tomé, Príncipe, and Annobón. It inhabits rainforest, secondary forests, and plantations at elevations of up to 1,668 m (5,472 ft), although it is more common at lower elevations. A small, darkish pigeon, it has a total length of 28 cm (11 in). Adult males have slate-grey heads and upper backs, blackish-grey wings, backs, and tails, buffy-white throats, ashy-grey breasts and bellies, and rufous vents. The back of the neck and upper back are glossy pink or green, while the wings have a green tinge to them. Females are similar, but have browner undersides, duller and less glossy upperparts, and more rusty-orange outer tail feathers.
The partridge pigeon is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to Australia.
The Papuan mountain pigeon is a species of bird in the pigeon family, Columbidae. It is found in the Bacan Islands, New Guinea, the D'Entrecasteaux Islands, and the Bismarck Archipelago, where it inhabits primary forest, montane forest, and lowlands. It is a medium-sized species of pigeon, being 33–36 cm (13–14 in) long and weighing 259 g (9.1 oz) on average. Adult males have slate-grey upperparts, chestnut-maroon throats and bellies, whitish breasts, and a pale grey terminal tail band. The lores and orbital region are bright red. Females are similar, but have grayish breasts and grey edges to the throat feathers.
The pale mountain pigeon is a species of bird in the pigeon family Columbidae. It is endemic to the Solomon Islands archipelago, where it inhabits old-growth and secondary montane forest. It is a medium-size pigeon with an average length of 38 cm (15 in) and a weight of 310–385 g (10.9–13.6 oz). The head and neck are whitish-grey, the belly and lower breast are buffy-pink, and the vent and undertail coverts are pale grey. The upperparts are smoky-grey with darker fringes on the mantle and wing coverts. Both sexes look similar, but there can be large variation in individual appearance.
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The great cuckoo-dove is a species of bird in the pigeon family, Columbidae. First described by the Dutch zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck in 1824, it is found on New Guinea, several surrounding islands, and Wallacea, where it mainly inhabits primary forest and the forest edge. It is a large, distinctive pigeon, with a length of 47.5–52.5 cm (18.7–20.7 in) and a weight of 208–305 g (7.3–10.8 oz). In adults, the head, neck, and breast are whitish or blue-grey, the underparts are pale bluish-grey, the upperparts are chestnut-brown, and the outer wings are black. Females differ from males in having more yellowish irises and duller orbital skin. Juveniles are mainly dull grey-brown, with dirty-white throats and bellies.
The black cuckoo-dove or black dove, also known as the slaty cuckoo dove, is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to the Lesser Sunda Islands, being found on Timor, Wetar, Rote, and Atauro. It inhabits primary and secondary monsoon forest, eucalyptus forest, and woodlands. It is 38.5 cm (15.2 in) long on average and is mainly dark bluish-gray, lighter on the head and underparts and darker on the wings and tail. It has yellow orbital skin.
The brown cuckoo-dove is a dove in the genus Macropygia found in Australia from Weipa and Aurukun in the north to Bega in the south, and most inland at Atherton and Toowoomba. It is sometimes called the "brown pigeon" or "pheasant pigeon", but both terms are best avoided, as they can lead to confusion with the brown doves and the true pheasant pigeon. It was one of three new species defined when the slender-billed cuckoo-dove was split in 2016.
