Speckled Pigeon
Columba guinea
Big, dark pigeon with white spots across the shoulder and a big red patch of bare skin around the eye. In flight, shows a gray tail band and rump. Found in many different open habitats, and nests in towns and cities and on cliffs. Only absent from thick forest. Common vocalizations are a “rrrour” call and an accelerating series of hoots. Somewhat similar to Rameron Pigeon, but largely absent from forest, and shows much larger wing spots and red rather than yellow bare facial skin.
Identification
This is a large pigeon at 41 cm in length. Its back and wings are rufous, the latter heavily speckled with white spots. The rest of the upperparts and underparts are blue-grey, and the head is grey with red patches around the eye. The neck is brownish, streaked with white, and the legs are red. Sexes are similar, but immatures are browner than adults and lack the red eye patches. The call is a loud doo-doo-doo.
Taxonomy
In 1747 the English naturalist George Edwards included a description and an illustration of the speckled pigeon in the second volume of his A Natural History of Uncommon Birds. His hand-coloured etching was made from two live birds at the home of the Duke of Richmond in London. Edwards was told that the pigeons had been brought from the inland region of Guinea in West Africa. When in 1758 the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus updated his Systema Naturae for the tenth edition, he placed the speckled pigeon with all the other pigeons in the genus Columba. Linnaeus included a brief description, coined the binomial name Columba guinea and cited Edwards' work.<p>There are two recognised subspecies:
- Scientific name
- Columba guinea
- Authority
- Linnaeus, 1758
- Order
- Columbiformes
- Family
- Columbidae
- Genus
- Columba
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Finsch's Francolin
Scleroptila finschi
Medium-sized francolin with a mostly gray body, rufous head, and white throat. Found locally on the ground in grassy habitats including savanna, montane grassland, and woodland. Usually in pairs or small groups. Typical vocalization is a duet of “chur-it-cheer” phrases and a repeated single note. Somewhat similar to Red-winged Francolin, but duller, without a strongly marked face or heavily striped breast.
Pale-breasted Illadopsis
Illadopsis rufipennis
A chunky, mid-sized, remarkably drab babbler with a white throat and brownish breast. Found in the understory of rainforest at low and middle elevations, usually in small groups. Shy and skulking; rarely seen unless searched for. Very similar to Brown Illadopsis, but slightly different vocally, with higher and more inflected whistles. Also slightly paler below and more richly colored above, with a cleaner white throat. Most often detected by voice. The highly variable song consists of single-note pure whistles or short whistled phrases separated by pauses, often in a three-note ascending series; listen for a haunting clear monotone whistle. Also gives scolding calls, sometimes accompanying the whistled song.
Chiloe Wigeon
Mareca sibilatrix
Handsome and distinctive duck. Sexes look similar, but male averages brighter. Note the striking face pattern (duller on young and on adults in late summer), bright rusty sides, and bold white forewing patches that show in flight. Often common in wetlands, marshes, at lakes, and along river mouths. Associates readily with other waterfowl, but more often seen on shore, grazing in grassy areas.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.