Golden Dove
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| Ptilinopus luteovirens Hombron & Jacquinot, 1841 |
The Golden Dove (Ptilinopus luteovirens), also known as the Lemon Dove or Yellow Dove, is a small, approximately 20 cm (8 in) long, short-tailed fruit-dove in the family Columbidae. The common name refers to the males' bright golden-yellow colour. The body feathers appear almost iridescent due to their elongated shape and hair-like texture. The head is slightly duller with a greenish tinge. The bill, orbital skin and legs are bluish-green and the iris is whitish. The underwings and tail coverts are yellow. The female is a dark green bird with bare parts resembling those of the male. The young resembles female.
The Golden Dove is distributed and endemic to forests of Viti Levu, Ovalau, Gau, Beqa and Waya group islands of Fiji. The diet consists mainly of various small fruits, berries and insects. The female usually lays a single white egg.
The Golden Dove is closely related to the allopatric Whistling Dove and Orange Dove.
A common species throughout its limited range, the Golden Dove is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
[edit] References
- BirdLife International (2004). Ptilinopus luteovirens. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 10 December 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
[edit] External links
- BirdLife Species Factsheet
- IUCN Red List
- Photo of a male Golden Dove by Bill Beckon International Dove Society.
