Comoros Blue Pigeon
Alectroenas sganzini - Founingo des Comores
Systematics
-
Order:
Columbiformes
-
Family:
Columbidés
-
Genus:
Alectroenas
-
Species:
sganzini
Descriptor
Biometrics
- Size: 27 cm
- Wingspan: -
- Weight: 134 à 158 g
Geographic range
Description identification
The Comoros Blue Pigeon is a large pigeon whose body is entirely blue-petrol. It cannot be mistaken for any other pigeon from the Indian Ocean region. The head and neck are white, as well as the chest whose feathers look like spearheads. These are the only two white parts contrasting with the darker body. A naked and red skin surrounds the almond-shaped eye which can be seen from several dozen metres away. The iris is yellow, the beak is olive green with a slightly lighter tip. The legs are light grey.
There does not seem to be any sexual dimorphism, although the female seems bigger than the males with a less brilliant plumage.
Subspecific information 2 subspecies
- Alectroenas sganzini sganzini (Comoros)
- Alectroenas sganzini minor (Aldabra)
Foreign names
- Founingo des Comores,
- Paloma azul de las Comoras,
- pombo-azul-das-comores,
- Komorenfruchttaube,
- comore-szigeteki gyümölcsgalamb,
- Comorese Blauwe Duif,
- Piccione blu delle Comore,
- komorblåduva,
- Brilleblådue,
- pestroš kapucňový,
- holub modrobřichý,
- Comorerblådue,
- komoriensinikyyhky,
- colom blau de les illes Comores,
- koralczyk srebrnogłowy,
- Коморский синий голубь,
- コモロルリバト,
- 科摩罗蓝鸠,
- 科摩羅藍鳩,
Habitat
The Comoros Blue Pigeon is a forest bird. It prefers evergreen forests although it can travel to look for its food. Wet forests suit it better but it can also be found in secondary forests as long as there are tall trees for it to perch in. It is less common in mangroves, at least in Mayotte. On Aldabra, it frequents every type of wooded habitat.
Behaviour character trait
The Comoros Blue Pigeon is a gregarious bird. At the hottest time of the day, it seeks the large branches at the top of trees to perch and take the sun. It can form colonies up to 50 individuals.
Flight
The Comoros Blue Pigeon has a fast flight with frequent wing claps.
Dietfeeding habits
The Comoros Blue Pigeon is frugivorous. Depending on the island where it lives, the sought-after fruit trees are ylang-ylang, wild date palms, ficus, cannelier.
Reproduction nesting
The nesting of the Comoros Blue Pigeon is still very little known. It nests in tall trees where it hides its nest among the dense foliage. One egg, more rarely two, is laid. After hatching the young one flies away after 17 or 18 days.
Geographic range
The Comoros Blue Pigeon is endemic to the four islands of the Comoros and on Aldabra where it is locally common depending on the availability of food sources such as fruits. On Grand Comoros it is present from 400 to 1,800 meters in elevation. On Mohéli it is present from 200 meters up to the first wooded ridge. On Anjouan it is present from 500 meters and up. On Mayotte it is present from sea level up to the higher mountains. To date, there are no known inter-island movements of the Comoros Blue Pigeon.
Threats - protection
IUCN conservation status
concern
in the Wild
threatened
evaluated
The Comoros Blue Pigeon is generally not threatened, but it is still a bird that can be tamed and hunted easily. It is consumed on all the islands where it is found.
Sources of information
- IOC World Bird List (v13.2), Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2023.
- Les Oiseaux de Mayotte, Clément Michel, Grissac Philippe, Rolland Robin
- The Birds of Africa Vol VIII : The Malagasy Region, Safford R. et Hawkins F.
Other sources of interest
Translation by AI Oiseaux.net
published: 24-08-2015 - Updated: 30-08-2015
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