Comoros Olive Pigeon

Columba pollenii - Pigeon des Comores

Pigeon des Comores
Systematics
  • Order 
    :

    Columbiformes

  • Family
    :

    Columbidés

  • Genus
    :

    Columba

  • Species
    :

    pollenii

Descriptor

Schlegel, 1865

Biometrics
  • Size
    : 40 cm
  • Wingspan
    : -
  • Weight
    : -
Geographic range

Distribution

Description identification

Pigeon des Comores
adult
Pigeon des Comores

Comoros Olive Pigeon does not have sexual dimorphism. At 40 cm, it is the largest columbid of the Comoros archipelago and not the most colorful. Generally, it is brown-gray with purple variants. It has a head, neck, chest and brown-gray mantle with closer purple shades. The belly is light gray. In flight, the remiges are dark gray, the scapulars and wing coverts are light gray with some white spots. The tertiaries, secondaries and rectrices are dark brown, the primaries are slate black and the rump is dark gray. On the neck are fine white stripes that form serrated lines on a brown background. The bill and legs are bright yellow. The iris is dull yellowish green. A pale yellow orbital skin surrounds the eye. The juvenile is duller and browner. The adult plumage quickly appears as with all pigeons.

Subspecific information monotypic species

Foreign names

  • Pigeon des Comores,
  • Paloma de las Comoras,
  • pombo-das-comores,
  • Komorentaube,
  • comore-szigeteki olajgalamb,
  • Comorenolijfduif,
  • Piccione oliva delle Comore,
  • komorskogsduva,
  • Komordue,
  • holub komorský,
  • holub komorský,
  • Comorerolivendue,
  • komorienkyyhky,
  • colom de les illes Comores,
  • gołąb śniady,
  • Коморский голубь,
  • コモロオリーブバト,
  • 科摩罗林鸽,
  • 科摩羅林鴿,

Voice song and cries

Pigeon des Comores

The calls of the Comoros Olive Pigeon are described as being identical to those of the Rameron Pigeon. A little bit of a chatterbox, it is heard mostly during the nesting period. Its coo is rough and deep.

Habitat

Pigeon des Comores

The natural habitat of the Comoros Olive Pigeon is concentrated in primary and secondary montane forests, subtropical or tropical wet forests. On Mayotte, which does not exceed 660 meters in altitude, it can even live at sea level. It is not at all adapted to gardens.

Behaviour character trait

Pigeon des Comores
adult

Each Comoros Olive Pigeon has its own forest home, but it is a species capable of flying long distances between resting sites and feeding grounds. However, just like the Rameron Pigeon, this only applies to certain individuals. Seen alone or in pairs, the breeding season for these birds runs from April to November, but it is believed they can breed year-round depending on the availability of food.

Flight

Pigeon des Comores

The flying of the Comoros Olive Pigeon is typical of pigeons. The male rises sharply with rapid wing movements, then gives a sharp flapping sound. It then does a horizontal flight, wings and tail feathers spread wide before finding a perch.

Dietfeeding habits

Pigeon des Comores
adult

The Comoros Olive Pigeon feeds on the canopy fruits for high altitude forests, or shrubs for low forests. It also feeds on insects, caterpillars and seeds. Rarely on the ground, it only descends there to fetch the pebbles that will help its digestion.

Reproduction nesting

Pigeon des Comores

The nest of twigs, grass and leaves is usually placed high in trees, up to 15 metres from the ground, in the middle of thick foliage. It prefers inside forests even if it can settle at the edge of clearings. Generally only one white and shiny egg is laid, rarely two. Both adults take part in feeding the chicks. Incubation lasts between 17 and 20 days.

Geographic range

Distribution
Pigeon des Comores

The Comoros Olive Pigeon is endemic to the Comoros archipelago where it is uncommon: Grande Comore, Anjouan, Mohéli and Mayotte. It appears to be better represented on the latter island. Each individual is sedentary on its own island. To date, no inter-island movement is known.

Threats - protection

Pigeon des Comores
IUCN conservation status
Extinct
Threatened
Least
concern
Extinc
in the Wild
Near
threatened
Not
evaluated
EX EW CR EN VU NT LC NE

The Comoros Olive Pigeon is currently considered almost threatened. It is a little-known species with a restricted range on the small islands and the populations require monitoring.
It is becoming rare due to the loss of habitat and it is unable to adapt to the disappearance of the forest which could be fatal to it.

Sources of information

Other sources of interest

QRcode Pigeon des ComoresSpecification sheet created on 25/07/2023 by
Translation by AI Oiseaux.net
published: - Updated: 29-10-2015
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