Chestnut-quilled Rock Pigeon
A species of Rock Pigeons Scientific name : Petrophassa rufipennis Genus : Rock Pigeons
Chestnut-quilled Rock Pigeon, A species of Rock Pigeons
Botanical name: Petrophassa rufipennis
Genus: Rock Pigeons
Content
Description General Info
Description
The chestnut-quilled rock pigeon is a dark sooty brown pigeon with a distinctive bright chestnut patch on its wing visible in flight. This patch is often hidden in the folded wing. The pigeon has a wingspan of 138 to 155mm, a bill measuring 11.0 to 14.5mm and weighs between 130 and 178 grams. It has black lores and pale spots on the head and neck, chin and throat is whitish. Fine grey lines extend around the eye "extending from above bill and turning over and behind eye; the other from base of bill passing below eye and beneath ear-coverts."
Size
31 cm
Feeding Habits
Chestnut-quilled Rock Pigeon primarily eats seeds from Fabaceae like Acacia, Poaceae, and Myrtaceae like Eucalyptus. It forages on the ground, showcasing a granivorous diet and unique preference for specific plant families.
Habitat
The chestnut-quilled Rock Pigeon is typically found in open, arid regions characterized by sandstone gorges and extensive boulder fields. It thrives around woodlands predominantly made up of Eucalyptus trees and areas with a dense coverage of spinifex, a type of tussock-forming grass with a rich array of understory herbs. Its habitat selection is closely associated with these rugged and dry landscapes.
Dite type
Granivorous
General Info
Behavior
The pigeon is most often seen when flushed, in pairs or small groups, from a rocky ledge. They fly with loud clapping wing-beats often straight up from a gorge. This typical behaviour was observed by Leichardt in the first recorded observation of the species: The pigeon's Northern Territory Conservation Status is listed as Near Threatened (NT) while the IUCN Red List identifies the pigeon's conservation status as Least Concern (LC). The chestnut-quilled rock pigeon shares a distinctive jizz and habitat type with the white-quilled rock pigeon, but are limited in extent to the sandstone country of Arnhem Land and Kakadu.
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Pigeons and doves Family
Dove Genus
Rock Pigeons Species
Chestnut-quilled Rock Pigeon