Sunday, November 14, 2010

Fruit Dove birds of Nauru. 2005

Page 62
This miniature sheet feature the fruit dove of Nauru and consisted 6 species of fruit dove of Pacific Islands. The sheet has issued by Nauru Post as one of three miniature sheet that features the protected bird as categorized by Birdlife International on year 2004.The dove species are Atoll Fruit-dove,Henderson Fruit-dove, Cook Islands Fruit-dove, Rapa Fruit-dove , Whistling Dove,and Mariana Fruit-dove.



Page 62a
The Atoll Fruit-dove (Ptilinopus coralensis) is a species of bird in the Columbidae family. It is endemic to French Polynesia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and plantations. It is threatened by habitat loss and to be qualified as Near Threatened 








Page 62b
The Henderson Fruit-dove (Ptilinopus insularis) is a species of bird in the Columbidae family and confined to Henderson in the Pitcairn Islands , a small uninhabited, raised-reef island in the south-central Pacific Ocean . The Henderson Fruit-dove has identification are small (22 cm in length), basically two-toned pigeon. The colour of crown and forehead are bright rose-red narrowly bordered by golden-yellow. The other colour of neck, upper back and chest are pale blue-grey. Rest of body colour are olive-green, paler below with yellow under tail-coverts. The Tail colour is bronzy reflections above and tipped white. Wing feathers edged yellow, tending to white on tertials. The bill colour is yellow-green bill. The iris and feet colour are Orange-red. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. This species qualifies as Vulnerable as it is only found on one small island where it remains at risk from the accidental introduction of exotic species and threatened by habitat loss. The population estimate is 4000 individuals and trending in stable

Page 62c
The Cook Islands Fruit-dove (Ptilinopus rarotongensis) is a species of bird in the Columbidae family. It is endemic to the Cook Islands. This species now occurs only on two tiny islands, on Rarotonga and Atiu.
The birds has identification are small (20 cm in length), mostly green pigeon. Pale greenish-grey foreparts on specific part like head, chest, upper back, contrasting with remainder of plumage but with indistinct borders. Other body colour are brilliant rose-lavender crown and forehead, yellow underparts, upper belly variably tinged copper-red. The bill is red at base, apple-green at tip. The iris and feet are red-orange.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss and to be qualified as vulnerable species. The Population estimate is ranged between 250 till 999 individuals and trend of population is stable.

Page 62d
The Rapa Fruit-dove (Ptilinopus huttoni) is endemic to the tiny island of Rapa in the Tubuai Islands, French Polynesi as a species of bird in the Columbidae family. The Rapa Fruit-dove has identifications are medium-sized (31 cm), mostly green pigeon, larger and longer tailed than most fruit-doves. Feathers of lower chest cloven by producing rows of shadows that appears as streaks. Pale blue-grey foreparts (head, neck, chest, upper back) shading into green of body above. Yellowish-white tip of tail, not sharply demarcated. Bright rose crown, face and throat, dark rose undertail-coverts. The edges of wing feathers are yellow lower belly and below cloven chest feathers are rose-purple band. The iris and bill are yellow and the rest colour is red leg. Its voice is repetitive series of double oo-wa notes. The Rapa Fruit-dove feeds on fleshy fruit and nectar from flowers.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. The Rapa Fruit-dove is one of the fifty rarest birds in the world. This species is classified as Vulnerable because the population is extremely small and confined to undisturbed forest fragments on one tiny island and threatened by habitat loss. However, at present the population appears to be stable where its population was estimated at 274 individuals.

Page 62e
The Whistling Dove, Ptilinopus layardi is a small fruit dove from Fiji. The species is endemic to the islands of Kadavu and Ono in the Kadavu Group in the south of Fiji.The Whistling Dove is a small dove (20 cm) that is sexually dimorphic in its velvety plumage. The plumage of the male is dark green with a yellow head and undertail coverts; the female lacks the yellow plumage. They are difficult to see in the forest canopy, but can be found due to their distinctive whistling call, a clear rising whistle followed by a falling 'tinkle'.. The species feeds on fruits in the canopy.When breeding only the female takes care of the young, an unusual adaption within the pigeon family. The Whistling Dove is considered near threatened by the IUCN. The estimated population is 10,000 birds (BirdLife International 2006) and classified as Near Threatened species due to it has a restriced range and it is declining due to habitat loss.

Page 62fThe Mariana Fruit-dove, Ptilinopus roseicapilla, is a small, up to 24cm long, green fruit dove native and endemic to Guam and the Northern Marianas Islands in the Pacific. It has a red forehead, greyish head, back and breast, and yellow belly patch and under tail coverts. The female lays a single white egg. The chick and egg are tended to by both parents. Its diet consists mainly of fruits. Due to ongoing habitat loss, limited range, small population size and invasive alien species, the Mariana Fruit-dove is evaluated as Endangered Species. Several zoos have started captive breeding programs in 1993. The St. Louis Zoo, in St. Louis, Missouri, has one of the most successful captive breeding programs.

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