Japanese wood pigeon
| Japanese wood pigeon | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Columbiformes |
| Family: | Columbidae |
| Genus: | Columba |
| Species: | C. janthina |
| Binomial name | |
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Columba janthina Temminck, 1830 |
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The Japanese wood pigeon (Columba janthina) is a species of bird in the Columba genus in the family Columbidae. It is found along shorelines of the East China Sea. They are believed to be the largest representative of the genus Columba, at 550 grams (1.2 lb) and 43 cm (17 in). Its natural habitats are temperate forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is becoming rare due to habitat loss. The species is in decline owing to habitat degradation, deforestation and hunting. This wood pigeon is endemic to the Laurel forest habitat.
The largest pigeon in the East Asia region, with a length of between 37 cm to 40 cm long and sometimes 43.5 cm. The head is small. There is at least three sub-species of Columba janthina, with some plumage differences.
Very dark in appearance, with small head, longish neck and tail. Overall the body is soot-black with iridescent green or purple on crown, shoulders and sides of neck. The irises are brown and have red color legs, having a rather long tail. Whole body is covered with shiny black feathers. Its inconspicuous plumage is mainly black with the crown and rump bright metallic purple. The back and chest have green purple metallic sheen.
Bill is longish, narrow and dark. The beak is greenish blue. Tip of the beak is ivory to pale yellow. Fleshy covering on the beak (cere) is small.
This species has no sexual dimorphism, the sexes are similar in appearance, but the juvenile has generally paler plumage, with limited or no development of the pale yellow neck patch. Tarsi are red in adults while paler in juveniles. Appears like a crow in flight, with large wings and slightly fanned tail.
This bird lives in small islands of the East China Sea, mainly in the Ryukyu Islands, Iwo Jima and Bonin Islands and also along the southern coasts of Korea and Japan. More abundant in the past and with a greater range, it is still thought that it is resident on 15 islands and islets.
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Wikipedia