Snow Pigeon
Columba leuconota
Often seen swirling around rock faces and cliffs in high mountain passes, this highland pigeon usually occurs in pairs or medium-sized flocks. Unlike any other pigeon, with a dark gray head, white neck and underparts, and gray wings with broad brown bars towards the tip. Occasionally visits villages and fields, but skittish and generally less approachable than Hill Pigeon and Rock Pigeon.
Identification
Snow pigeons have a blackish head contrasting with a white neck collar and white underparts shading into ashy on the abdomen. Their backs are brownish-grey with a white patch on the lower back. Their wings are pale grey with three brown bands. Their black tails have a clear white band in the middle which narrows and curve forward to reach the tip of the outermost tail features. Young birds have narrow, pale buff margins to the feathers of the upper parts and wings. The white of the underparts is sullied with buff.
Taxonomy
Two subspecies are recognized:
- Scientific name
- Columba leuconota
- Authority
- Vigors, 1831
- Order
- Columbiformes
- Family
- Columbidae
- Genus
- Columba
Range and habitat
They are resident birds in rocky hills of Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. It is a common bird and has an extremely large range. The population is believed to be stable and for these reasons, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of least concern.
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
Migration pattern: Complete migrants.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Eurasian Siskin
Spinus spinus
Small yellowish finch with prominent wingbars. Male is attractive and distinctive, with a yellow face and breast offset by a black cap and small chin patch. Female streaky overall, often with yellowish tones; note especially the yellow wing and tail flashes of both sexes. Inhabits mixed and coniferous woodland and forest; also found in parks and gardens, and visits seed feeders. Often in flocks, mainly in the autumn and winter, gathering at good food sources. Listen for twittering, buzzing vocalizations, including nasal, rising “tuohweee” and dry chittering.
European Pied Flycatcher
Ficedula hypoleuca
Breeding male is boldly pied, with a big white wing patch and white forehead spot. Female and immature are brown above, with an obvious white wing patch. In areas of overlap, compare with very similar Collared and Semicollared Flycatchers. Breeds in shady, mixed and deciduous woodland, especially with oaks. Uses a range of habitats on migration and on wintering grounds, including forest edge, open woodland, and plantation. Feeds at all levels, sallying after insects in the leafy foliage; at times, perches out on open fences. Song is a cheerful whistled series with an up-and-down quality. Calls include a sharp, bright, somewhat metallic “wit!” and a short “tsee.”
Dune Lark
Calendulauda erythrochlamys
A medium-sized lark that has a rounded head lacking a crest, and a slightly decurved bill. Varies geographically: in the north there is a plain face pattern and diffuse pale streaking that is restricted to the breast; in the south a bold face pattern, and a heavily streaked breast with unstreaked flanks. Upperparts coloration varies from mostly pale sandy-pink to buff to sandy-brown, usually matching the prevailing soil color in the region. Pairs are found in the sand dunes of the Namib Desert, and on soft sands of semi-arid Karoo and coastal shrublands. The male sings from dunes or bushes, and in spring also performs an aerial flight display 10-30 meters above the ground, with deep wingbeats, fluttering, and dangling legs. The song is a distinctive rolling set of dry raspy introductory clicks, followed by whistles and trills. The slightly smaller and more boldly marked Karoo Lark has streaking extending to the flanks that is lacking in Dune Lark.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.