BIRDS
Pigeons and Doves of Brazil
COLUMBIDAEIntroduction
The present work has just the pretension of being a schematical summary with some comments on the family columbidae formed by the doves and pigeons and its representatives in Brazil, with the main purpose of giving a general vision on this family to the bird observers and also beginners in the ornithology.
The family columbidae is formed by more than two hundred species spread in all the regions of the Earth, just excepting the polar regions. They are characterized for great physionomical similarities, as well as habits, being popularly known the greater as pigeons and the minors as doves.
They are birds of great power of flight (Columba and Zenaide), showing still great agility running away from danger, which is always to make the rounds, therefore they are birds that are highly looked by hawks and carnivorous mammals. Of simple habits they always live you alert, and to the lesser danger they raise flight hiding them and or flying over the bushes, showing dexterity in the art to fly.
They are fed strict of seeds, being vegetarian. In the digestive device crop is distinguished that during the time of procreation it supplies to the youngling a milky secretion that is of privative character of the order (Young chicken, 1949) and “moela” that is very muscled, being common the small bird to swallow little rocks to help in the grinding of the grains.
Small difference of coloration of the plumage has little sexual dimorphism limiting it.
In relation to the nests, they are made on trees, in hollow or trunks or same in some species in the soil (zenaida). Interlaced things are made of small made use wood half.
We have observed L.verreaux nesting in the region of Itapecerica da Serra- SP, on a tumbled stem of a banana tree, being the construction in the part that formed a species of socket. The eggs are total white and are just one or two. Both the sexs take care of the creation.
The vocalization, called “arrulho”, is characterized by few repeated notes some times, being very similar among some species as: Columba cayennensis and Columba picazuro, and still among L.verreaux and L. rufaxilla.List of the 21 species of Columbidae that occur in Brazil
Scalled Pigeon; Columba speciosa;Pomba-perdês
Picazuro Pigeon; Columba picazuro; Pomba-asa-branca
Spot-winged Pigeon; Columba maculosa; Pomba-do-orvalho
Pale-vented Pigeon; Columba cayennensis; Pomba-galega
Ruddy Pigeon; Columba subvinacea; Pomba-Botafogo
Plumbeous Pigeon; Columba plumbea; Pomba-amargosa
Eared Dove; Zenaida auriculata;Avoante
Blue-eyed Ground Dove; Columbina cyanopis; Rolinha-do-planalto
Common Ground Dove; Columbina passerina; Rolinha-cinzenta
Plain-breasted Ground Dove; Columbina minuta; Rolinha-de-asa-canela
Ruddy Ground Dove; Columbina talpacoti; Rolinha-roxa
Picui Ground-Dove; Columbina picui; Rolinha Picuí
Blue Ground-Dove; Claravis pretiosa;Pararu-azul
Purple-winged Ground-Dove; Claravis godefrida; Pararu-espelho
Long-tailed Ground-dove; Uropelia campestris;Rola-vaqueira
Scaled Dove; Scardafella squammata;Fogo-apagou
Gray-fronted Dove; Leptotila rufaxilla; Juriti-gemedeira
White-tipped Dove; Leptotila verreauxi; Juriti-pupu
Ruddy Quail-Dove; Geotrygon montana;Juriti-piranga
Violaceus Quail-Dove; Geotrygon violacea;Juriti-roxa
Collared Turtle-Dove; Streptopelia decaocto; Rola-de-coleiraConsulted Bibliography
DUNNING, J. S. 1987. South American Birds: A photographic aid to identification. Newtown Square: Harrowood Books.
PINTO, O.M.O. 1949. Esboço monográfico dos Columbidae brasileiros. Arq. Zool. Est. S. Paulo, São Paulo, 7: 241-323.
SCHAUENSEE, RODOLPHE MEYER DE. A guide to the birds of South America. The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 1970.
SICK, H. 1997. Ornitologia Brasileira. Edição revista e ampliada por J. F. Pacheco. Rio de Janeiro: Ed. Nova Fronteira.
SOUZA, DEODATO. Todas as aves do Brasil. Editora DALL. 1998.