Partridge Pigeon
Geophaps smithii
Medium-sized pigeon, usually seen on the ground in open woodland or along roadsides in northwestern Northern Territory and the northern Kimberley in Western Australia. Plain brown plumage, with white stripe along the edge of the breast. Distinctive facial markings, with comical red (Northern Territory) or yellow (Western Australia) facial skin. Takes flight with a loud clatter of wings. Compare Squatter Pigeon, Flock Bronzewing (with black-and-white facial markings), and both Chestnut-quilled and White-quilled Rock-Pigeons (with pale wing panels).
Taxonomy
The partridge pigeon is one of three species in the genus Geophaps. Within the genus, the partridge pigeon is most closely related to the squatter pigeon, with these two species forming a clade that is sister to the spinifex pigeon. These three are most closely related to the crested pigeon.<p>Alternative names for the partridge pigeon include bare-eyed bronzewing, bare-eyed partridge bronzewing, and bare-eyed partridge pigeon.<p>There are two subspecies, differing mainly in the colour of their orbital skin. The two subspecies are also sometimes treated as color morphs instead of races, making the species monotypic.
- Scientific name
- Geophaps smithii
- Authority
- (Jardine & Selby, 1830)
- Order
- Columbiformes
- Family
- Columbidae
- Genus
- Geophaps
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Ovambo Sparrowhawk
Accipiter ovampensis
Medium-sized sparrowhawk that is normally gray, but there is a rare black morph. In all plumages, shows diagnostic white streaks along the central part of the tail, but these are hard to see. The legs and the base of the bill are yellow to reddish. On the typical gray birds, there is gray barring below which is finer and denser on the chest and throat than in other gray sparrowhawks. Generally rare in thick woodland, savanna, plantations, and gallery forest. Call is a repeated “chyek.”
Coastal Cisticola
Cisticola haematocephalus
A relatively colorful, medium-sized, long-tailed cisticola. Note the gray-brown back with thick black streaks, the brown on the wing and cap, and the whitish underparts. Found in wetlands and moist grassland and scrub. As with other cisticolas, habitat and vocalizations are important to identification. Very similar to Winding Cisticola, but paler overall, and differs vocally. Also similar to Rattling Cisticola, but more colorful, with very different vocalizations: a wheezy, very high-pitched trill, and raspy “chi-dup” calls that are often given in a display flight.
Javan Banded-Pitta
Hydrornis guajanus
Beautiful ground-dweller with black mask, clean white throat, and finely barred underparts. Male has an egg-yolk-yellow eyebrow, royal-blue “bib”, and black crown. Female has a dull tan-yellow eyebrow and brown crown. Both sexes have a bright blue tail and a white “racing stripe” down the edge of the wing. Inhabits a range of wooded habitats, from primary wet forest to overgrown plantations and dry scrub, in the lowlands and foothills of Java and Bali. Forages on the ground, either singly or in pairs. Gives a loud, bright “whOW!” and a low rolling trill.
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