Somali pigeon

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Somali pigeon
1 Somaliland Shilling Coins Reverse 1994.jpg
One Somaliland shilling coin depicting the Somali pigeon
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Class: Aves
Order: Columbiformes
Family: Columbidae
Genus: Columba
Species:
C. oliviae
Binomial name
Columba oliviae
Clarke, 1918
AT1319 map.png
Believed general range; Somali montane xeric woodlands

The Somali pigeon (Columba oliviae) or Somali stock dove is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to Somalia. Because there has hardly been any research on the species, the health of the population is uncertain; however, it is believed that the species is relatively rare. The IUCN Redlist identified a possible threat to the species from the speckled pigeon (Columba guinea). [1] C. oliviae is found mostly on the ground, where it often forages, most frequently in rock along arid coasts.

Contents

Taxonomy

The Somali pigeon is placed in the Oenas sub-group within the genus Columba alongside the stock dove and yellow-eyed pigeon, based on their similar mauve heads and wing markings, but believed to be more closely related to the latter overall. [2]

Description

C. oliviae is a mid-sized pigeon with pale grey coloration, a mauve cap, yellow eyes and an iridescent collar with bronze-green tones. It has a bluish-gray rump, dark wing edges and dark bands along its tail; all of these features are most clearly seen in flight. Its range overlaps with that of the much darker and more densely spotted speckled pigeon, which is rapidly expanding into the Somali pigeon's territory. Unlike various species of collared doves with which its range overlaps, it lacks a characteristic dark band on the hind-neck. [3] It may also be confused with feral pigeons (C. livia), but the Somali pigeon is smaller and less dark than C. livia. [4]

Vocalizations

As with many other aspects of the species, the Somali pigeon's vocalizations are not well known, but have described as a "wuk-wuk-wuk-ooooh". It also produces other pigeon-like noises, including cooing sounds. [3] [4]

Distribution and habitat

The exact distribution is unclear, but its range encompasses much of northeast and northwest of Somalia. It is non-migratory. [3] [4] It is a mostly ground-dwelling bird, found in arid, coastal environments, especially on cliffs and hills, usually found in areas with little vegetation. It is typically seen at altitudes of 75 metres (246 ft) to 750 metres (2,460 ft), [1] but has been recorded as high as 1,425 metres (4,675 ft). [4]

Behavior and ecology

The Somali pigeon's range overlaps with that of other doves, including the speckled pigeon. While uncommon, it can be found in pairs or small flocks. [3] It is often seen feeding on the ground, consuming seeds, cultivated grains and berries. [4] [1]

Status and conservation

The exact population is unknown, but the bird is believed to be rare but with a stable population overall. However, there are no laws in effect to protect it and it is considered urgently in need of some type of population survey. [4] It may also be experiencing competition from the rapidly expanding speckled pigeon, although further study is still needed to be certain. Plans to organize research on the species have been made. [1] [3] [4]

As of February 2022, on eBird, a site that collects bird population data based on user-provided information, only six observations of the Somali pigeon have been made [3] in over four hundred thousand checklists submitted throughout the African continent [5] (and over sixty million worldwide [6] ).

Relationship with humans

The bird is featured on the one shilling coin's obverse [7] of the internationally unrecognized East African republic of Somaliland's official currency.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbidae</span> Family of birds

Columbidae is a bird family consisting of doves and pigeons. It is the only family in the order Columbiformes. These are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. They primarily feed on seeds, fruits, and plants. The family occurs worldwide, but the greatest variety is in the Indomalayan and Australasian realms. The family contains 344 species divided into 50 genera. Thirteen of the species are extinct.

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

The rock dove, rock pigeon, or common pigeon is a member of the bird family Columbidae. In common usage, it is often simply referred to as the "pigeon".

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

The stock dove or stock pigeon is a species of bird in the family Columbidae, the doves and pigeons. It is widely distributed in the western Palearctic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feral pigeon</span> Domestic pigeons that returned to the wild

Feral pigeons, also called city doves, city pigeons, or street pigeons, are descendants of domestic pigeons that have returned to the wild. The domestic pigeon was originally bred from the wild rock dove, which naturally inhabits sea-cliffs and mountains. Rock, domestic, and feral pigeons are all the same species and will readily interbreed. Feral pigeons find the ledges of buildings to be a substitute for sea cliffs, have become adapted to urban life, and are abundant in towns and cities throughout much of the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common wood pigeon</span> Species of large, white/green-naped, arboreal bird of Eurasia

The common wood pigeon, also known as simply wood pigeon, is a large species in the dove and pigeon family (Columbidae), native to the western Palearctic. It belongs to the genus Columba, which includes closely related species such as the rock dove. It has historically been known as the ring dove, and is locally known in southwest England as the quist, or in southeast England as the "culver"; the latter name has given rise to several areas known for keeping pigeons to be named after it, such as Culver Down and Culver Hole in South Wales. It has a flexible diet, predominantly feeding on vegetable matter, including cereal crops, leading to them being regarded as an agricultural pest. Wood pigeons are extensively hunted over large parts of their range, but this does not seem to have a great impact on their population.

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

The Eurasian collared dove is a dove species native to Europe and Asia; it was introduced to Japan, North America and islands in the Caribbean.

<i>Columba</i> (bird) Genus of pigeons

The bird genus Columba comprises a group of medium to large pigeons. The terms "dove" and "pigeon" are used indiscriminately for smaller and larger Columbidae, respectively. Columba species – at least those of Columba sensu stricto – are generally termed "pigeons", and in many cases wood-pigeons. The rock dove, has given rise to the majority of domesticated pigeon breeds, such as the racing pigeon and the fantail pigeon some of which have become feral. Meanwhile, "wood pigeon" by itself usually means the common wood pigeon.

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

The speckled pigeon, also African rock pigeon or Guinea pigeon, is a pigeon that is a resident breeding bird in much of Africa south of the Sahara. It is a common and widespread species in open habitats over much of its range, although there are sizable gaps in its distribution. It is sometimes referred to as the Guinea pigeon due to its similar coloring to some species of guineafowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somaliland shilling</span> Currency of Somaliland

The Somaliland shilling is the official currency of the Republic of Somaliland.

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

The red collared dove, also known as the red turtle dove, is a small pigeon which is a resident breeding bird in the tropics of Asia. The male has a blue-grey head and a red-brown body. The female is much plainer, with pale brown plumage similar to that of the larger Eurasian collared dove.

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

The white-headed pigeon is a pigeon native to the east coast of Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-eyed pigeon</span> Species of bird

The yellow-eyed pigeon, pale-backed pigeon, yellow-eyed dove or yellow-eyed stock dove is a member of the family Columbidae. It breeds in southern Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, north-east Iran and extreme north-west China. It winters in north-east Pakistan, Jammu and Kashmir and parts of Rajasthan. The bird has declined in numbers over the years, chiefly because of hunting, and it is listed as "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

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

The afep pigeon, also known as the African wood-pigeon or gray wood-pigeon, is a member of the family Columbidae which lives in the Equatorial Forests of Africa.

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

The lemon dove or cinnamon dove is a species of bird in the pigeon family Columbidae found in montane forests of sub-Saharan Africa. The São Tomé lemon dove is usually treated as a subspecies. The lemon dove has a generally brownish-grey plumage with a cinnamon brown breast. Males have a greenish-glossed neck and white markings on the head, and females and juveniles are rather more brown and have grey facial markings. This dove is a common species, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">African olive pigeon</span> Species of bird

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Island bronze-naped pigeon</span> Species of bird

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountain pigeon</span> Genus of birds from Melanesia and Indonesia

Mountain pigeons are four species of birds in the genus Gymnophaps in the pigeon family Columbidae. They are found on islands in eastern Indonesia and Melanesia, where they inhabit hill and montane forest. Medium-sized pigeons with long tails and wings, they are 33–38.5 cm (13.0–15.2 in) long and weigh 259–385 g (9.1–13.6 oz). They mostly have dull grey, white, or chestnut-brown plumage, their most distinctive feature being bright red skin around the eyes. Males and females mostly look alike, but the Papuan and pale mountain pigeons show slight sexual dimorphism. Mountain pigeons are very social and are usually seen in flocks of 10–40 birds, although some species can form flocks of more than 100 individuals. They are generally quiet and do not make many vocalisations apart from a distinctive whooshing noise while leaving their high-altitude roosts to feed in the morning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somali montane xeric woodlands</span>

The Somali montane xeric shrublands is a desert and xeric scrubland ecoregion in Somalia. The ecoregion lies in the rugged Karkaar Mountains, which run parallel and close to Somalia's northern coast on the Gulf of Aden, and follows coast from Cape Guardafui south to Eyl on the Arabian Sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Somaliland</span> Overview of the Wildlife of Somaliland

The wildlife of Somaliland includes the flora and fauna of Somaliland, which is extremely diverse due to the country's location between the temperate and the tropical zones. Somaliland is bordered by the Red Sea. The coastal region is more humid due to its proximity to the ocean. Somaliland is home to over 727 bird species and boasts over 177 species of mammals.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 BirdLife International (2016). "Columba oliviae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22690092A93261002. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22690092A93261002.en . Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  2. D. Goodwin. "Taxonomy of the Genus Columba" (PDF). Bulletin of the British Museum. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Somali Pigeon". eBird. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Somali Pigeon Columba oliviae". BirdLife International. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  5. "Africa". eBird. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  6. "World". eBird. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  7. Baker, Paul (January 2004). "Somaliland and the 1 Shilling Coin". Coin News. Token Publishing, UK. Retrieved 6 March 2022.