Flame-breasted fruit dove

Last updated

Flame-breasted fruit dove
Flame Breasted Fruit Dove Mine.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Columbiformes
Family: Columbidae
Genus: Ptilinopus
Species:
P. marchei
Binomial name
Ptilinopus marchei
Oustalet, 1880

The flame-breasted fruit dove (Ptilinopus marchei) is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to the Philippines where it is only found in the mountains of Luzon. It is the largest fruit dove in the country and rivals the size of Imperial pigeons. It is identified with its red hood, black wings with a red patch on its secondaries and its unmistakable flame-coloured breast. Its natural habitats are in upper areas of the tropical moist lowland forest and in mid to upper montane forest. It is threatened by habitat loss, poaching for the pet trade and hunting for food. [2]

Contents

It is illegal to hunt, capture or keep flame-breasted fruit-doves under Philippine Law RA 9147. [3]

Description and taxonomy

It is described on EBird as "A fairly large dove. Pale gray from the belly to the sides of the chest and neck, with a sooty back and cheek, an orange chest patch with dark red below, and a pink crown and mark across the flight feathers. Similar to the Yellow-breasted Fruit-Dove, but Flame-breasted has an orange rather than yellow chest and a dark pink crown. Song is a deep, rising-then-falling 'oo-woo'." Takes flight with loud wing claps." [4] This species exhibit some sexual dimorphism in which females have more pronounced green on tail, rump and wings. It reaches sizes of up to 38 centimeters long and weighs around 330 grams.

This was named in honor of Antoine-Alfred Marche who was a French naturalist and explorer. This species is monotypic. Due to its red chest, it is often mistaken to be a Bleeding-heart dove, however this fruit dove is significanty larger and does not have the same ground dwelling habits of the bleeding-heart. [5]

Ecology and behavior

It is a frugivore. Usually occurs singly or in small groups even with other doves. Its flight is fast and direct, with the regular beats and an occasional sharp flick of the wings that are characteristic of pigeons in general.

Breeding mainly occurs in May to June, which is generally the breeding time for Philippine forest birds. Nests have been found with a single egg, but there is not enough data to assume average clutch size [5]

Habitat

It has been recorded in lowland and hill dipterocarp, mid-montane and mossy forest ranging from 450 to 2,300 meters above sea level. However, it is chiefly found above 1,000 meters above sea level in mid-montane forest It is found only in good quality primary forest as it not tolerant and unable to thrive in secondary forest. [5]

Conservation status

The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists this species as vulnerable with 2,500 to 9,999 mature individuals left in the wild. It is threatened by habitat loss, poaching for the pet trade, nest disturbance and hunting for food. They have been seen being sold in illegal online markets on Facebook for approximately 6,000 persos (~100 USD) which is 10x the minimum daily wage in Manila. Habitat loss is its main threat with wholesale clearance of forest habitats as a result of logging, agricultural conversion and mining activities occurring within the range. Forest cover in the Sierra Madre has declined by 83% since the 1930s and most remaining areas are under logging concessions and may suffer further from major road-building plans. The National List of Threatened Terrestrial Fauna of the Philippines has classified it as Endangered. [6]

It is found in some protected areas like Mount Pulag, Mounts Banahaw–San Cristobal Protected Landscape and Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park. The entire Apayao province is listed as one of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserves of Southeast Asia. Despite this, habitat destruction and poaching continues even within these protected areas.

A large majority of sight records accounting for more than 80% of all Ebird records are either in Mount Polis and along the Sierra Madre mountain range near Infanta. While this is a case of observer and location bias, these 2 areas still represent an important habitat and subpopulation for this bird. Unfortunately, both areas have undergone significant habitat destruction due to road construction, land conversion into resorts and farmland and poaching.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature recommends more surveys be done to know the full extent of this bird and to make key habitats on Mt. Cetaceo (Cagayan Valley), Infanta, Quezon and Mount Polis as formally protected areas and to promote stricter enforcement of laws designed to stop hunting and trade.

Under the Philippine law RA9147, it is completely illegal to hunt these birds or to capture and keep them as pets. [7] As it is crically endangered species on the Philippine Red List, any violations have harsher punishments including "imprisonment of a minimum of six (6) years and one (1) day to twelve (12) years and/or a fine of One hundred thousand pesos (100,000.00) to One million pesos (1,000,000.00), if inflicted or undertaken against species listed as critical"

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isabela oriole</span> Species of bird

The Isabela oriole is a species of the oriole family endemic to Luzon in the Philippines. It is an oriole identified by its yellowish green plummage and a very large gray bill. This species was presumed to be extinct for many years until its rediscovery in December 1993 near Diffun, Quirino, and in Mansarong in September 1994. Additional sightings were made in San Mariano, Isabela. and Baggao, Cagayan Valley It It is found in moist lowland forest up to 440 masl. It is critically endangered with estimates of just 50 to 250 mature individuals remaining. It is threatened by habitat loss and hunting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue-headed fantail</span> Species of bird

The blue-headed fantail is a fantail endemic to the northern Philippines where it is found on the islands of Luzon and Catanduanes. Until recently, it was considered conspecific with the Tablas fantail and Visayan fantail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pink-bellied imperial pigeon</span> Species of bird

The pink-bellied imperial pigeon, also known as the zone-tailed pigeon, is found in the Philippines. It is a large and striking dove reaching sizes of up to 42cm long. The pink-bellied imperial pigeon is mostly dark green, with a pale gray head, an appropriately pink belly, and a brown, black, and gray pattern on its tail. Its eyes and eye ceres are red. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-chinned fruit dove</span> Species of bird

The black-chinned fruit dove, also known as the black-throated fruit dove or Leclancher's dove. It is found in the lowland forests of the Philippines and Taiwan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rufous hornbill</span> Species of bird

The rufous hornbill, also known as the Philippine hornbill and locally as kalaw, is a large species of hornbill endemic to the Philippines. They are referred by locals as the "clock-of-the-mountains" due to its large booming call which typically occur of every hour. It occurs in moist tropical lowland forest. They are now considered to be a threatened species and its reasons for decline being habitat destruction, hunting and poaching for the illegal pet trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippine serpent eagle</span> Species of bird

The Philippine serpent eagle is an eagle found in the major islands of the Philippines. It is sometimes treated as a race of the crested serpent eagle. This species is usually found in forest clearings, open woodlands, and sometimes in cultivated lands with scattered trees. It is endemic to the Philippines. The species is found on most part of the major islands, except for Palawan.

The spotted imperial pigeon, also known as the grey-necked imperial pigeon, is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. Endemic to the Philippines, it lives in forests and forest edges but goes down to the limestone shorelines possibly to feed. It is a vulnerable species threatened by habitat loss and hunting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amethyst brown dove</span> Species of bird

The amethyst brown dove is a species of bird in the family Columbidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-naped fruit dove</span> Species of bird

The red-naped fruit dove is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to Sumba.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cream-breasted fruit dove</span> Species of bird

The cream-breasted fruit dove or cream-bellied fruit dove is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is a large and primarily greenish dove with a distinctive red wing patch and cream coloured breast which it was named after. It is endemic to the Philippines found only on the islands of Luzon, Catanduanes and Polillo Islands. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland to montane forests of up to 1,300 masl. It is threatened by habitat loss, and trapping for the pet trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-breasted fruit dove</span> Species of bird

The yellow-breasted fruit dove locally known as balorinay is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forest. While it is listed as least concern in IUCN, it is declining due to habitat loss, hunting, and trapping for the illegal wildlife trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Handsome sunbird</span> Species of bird

The handsome sunbird is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is endemic to the Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bicolored flowerpecker</span> Species of bird

The bicolored flowerpecker is a species of bird in the family Dicaeidae. It is endemic to the Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashy-breasted flycatcher</span> Species of bird

The ashy-breasted flycatcher is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found only on the islands of Negros and Luzon. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whiskered pitta</span> Species of bird

The whiskered pitta is a rare species of bird in the family Pittidae. It is endemic to Luzon in the Philippines. Along with the, Azure-breasted pitta, it is one of two endemic pittas in the country.This bird is the largest pitta in the country reaching 23 cm long and 116 g in mass. It has a brownish head, blue breast, and red belly. It has broad ash malar or "whiskers". Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forest and tropical moist montane forest. It is threatened by habitat loss and trapping. It is one of the most sought after birds by birdwatchers in the Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-browed jungle flycatcher</span> Species of bird

The white-browed jungle flycatcher, also known as the Luzon jungle-flycatcher and the Rusty-flanked jungle-flycatcher, is a species of bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to Luzon island, in the Philippines. The natural habitat of the white-browed jungle flycatcher is tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashy thrush</span> Species of bird

The ashy thrush, also known as the ashy ground-thrush, is a species of bird in the family Turdidae. It is endemic to the Philippines in Luzon and Mindoro. Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forests and or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss, and the illegal wildlife trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Banggai fruit dove</span> Species of bird

The Banggai fruit dove, also called maroon-chinned fruit dove is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to the Banggai Islands. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Balbalasang–Balbalan National Park</span> National park of the Philippines

Balbalasang–Balbalan National Park is a protected area of the Philippines located in the municipality of Balbalan, Kalinga in the Cordillera Administrative Region. The park covers an area of 1,338 hectares and is centered on Mount Balbalasang in the barangay of the same name near the provincial border with Abra. Dubbed the "green heart of the Cordillera", the park is representative of the rich biodiversity and landscape of this mountain region with some of the most intact pine forests and richly endemic flora and fauna. It was declared a national park in 1972 by virtue of Republic Act No. 6463.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fruit dove</span> Genus of birds

The fruit doves, also known as fruit pigeons, are a genus (Ptilinopus) of birds in the pigeon and dove family (Columbidae). These colourful, frugivorous doves are found in forests and woodlands in Southeast Asia and Oceania. It is a large genus with over 50 species, some threatened or already extinct.

References

  1. BirdLife International (2012). "Ptilinopus marchei". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  2. Allen, Desmond (2020). Birds of the Philippines. Barcelona: Lynx and Birdlife International Field Guides. pp. 68–69.
  3. 11th Congress. "Republic Act No. 9147". Official Gazette of the Philippines.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. "Flame-breasted Fruit Dove". EBird.
  5. 1 2 3 Baptista, Luis F.; Trail, Pepper W.; Horblit, H. M.; Boesman, Peter F. D.; Garcia, Ernest (2020). "Cream-breasted Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus merrilli), version 1.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.crbfrd1.01species_shared.bow.project_name (inactive 2024-09-10). ISSN   2771-3105.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of September 2024 (link)
  6. van de Ven, Willem (2020). Philippine Redlist of Threatened Fauna: Part 1 (PDF). Department of Environment and Natural Resources Biodiversity Management Bureau. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  7. "Republic Act 9147". www.officialgazette.gov.ph. Retrieved 2021-09-08.