Lemon Dove
Aplopelia larvata
Dark, medium-sized dove with a pale face. Shows paler gray corners of the tail in flight. Varies geographically; most eastern and southern African birds have rufous underparts, while western and central African birds are gray below. Shy understory species that is most often seen on the ground inside thick forest. Often not noticed until it noisily flies away. Call is a deep hoot, usually delivered in a slow series, though sometimes in a quick series. Similar to Delegorgue’s and Bronze-naped pigeons but inhabits the understory and has a pale face.
Identification
The lemon dove is fairly small, measuring 24–30 cm (9.4–11.8 in) in length and weighing 81.7–150 g (2.88–5.29 oz). Adult males have a plumage that is dark brown above, glossed green on sides of neck, and cinnamon brown below. As noted, they have conspicuous white face markings. The feet, iris and orbital skin are red, the bill is black. Females and young males are generally similar, with a lighter brown plumage and dull grey facial markings. The males of western African subspecies have a dark grey plumage.
Taxonomy
It differs from the other African pigeons of the genus Columba by its terrestrial habits and the white face and forehead of adult males; it is therefore sometimes separated in the genus Aplopelia. Some treat the Gulf of Guinea populations (São Tomé lemon-dove) as a separate species C. simplex (or A. simplex), others as subspecies of C. larvata. In the latter case, the species as a whole may be called simply lemon-dove, and if Aplopelia is considered a valid genus it would then be monotypic.
- Scientific name
- Aplopelia larvata
- Authority
- Temminck, 1809
- Order
- Columbiformes
- Family
- Columbidae
- Genus
- Aplopelia
Range and habitat
The lemon dove has a very wide range and is distributed in montane forests in sub-Saharan Africa, ranging for example from some 100 to 3,000 metres (330 to 9,840 ft) ASL in eastern Africa. The diet consists mainly of various small fruits, seeds, molluscs and insects. The female usually lays two creamy white eggs.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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