Luzon Bleeding-heart
Encyclopedia
The Luzon Bleeding-heart (Gallicolumba luzonica) is one of a number of species of ground dove
in the genus
Gallicolumba
that are called "bleeding-hearts".
They get this name from a splash of vivid red colour at the centre of their white breasts. The Luzon Bleeding-heart is the species in which this feature is most pronounced, and on first sight it is hard to believe that the bird has not recently been wounded. This is also partially due to a reddish hue extending down the belly, providing the illusion of blood having run down the bird's front.
, it can appear to be purple, royal blue, or bottle-green, and the apparent colour varies with lighting conditions. The belly and under wing areas are buff or chestnut. As in most pigeons, there is little sexual dimorphism
; males tend to be larger and have a more pronounced red patch, and some authorities claim that the female has a purplish iris
, though others dispute this. Body shape is typical of the genus, with a round body, a short tail and long legs.
to the central and southern parts of the large island of Luzon
, and the neighbouring small Polillo Islands, in the Philippines
. It lives in primary or secondary forest, and can be found at altitudes varying from sea level up to 1400 metres. They eat seeds, berries
and grubs. They are shy and secretive, and very quiet, and rarely leave the ground except when nesting. Unlike the other bleeding-hearts, they usually lay two egg
s in each clutch.
, the Luzon Bleeding-heart is under some threat, since it is commonly trapped. Local people use it for meat
, but its striking appearance means that there is also a market for it in the pet
trade. A captive breeding project has been started in Australia.
The Luzon Bleeding-heart was featured on a Philippine 2-peso postage stamp
in 1994.
Dove
Pigeons and doves constitute the bird family Columbidae within the order Columbiformes, which include some 300 species of near passerines. In general terms "dove" and "pigeon" are used somewhat interchangeably...
in the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Gallicolumba
Gallicolumba
Gallicolumba is a mid-sized genus of ground-dwelling doves which occur in rainforests on the Philippines, Indonesia, and in the Pacific region. They are not closely related to the American ground-doves...
that are called "bleeding-hearts".
They get this name from a splash of vivid red colour at the centre of their white breasts. The Luzon Bleeding-heart is the species in which this feature is most pronounced, and on first sight it is hard to believe that the bird has not recently been wounded. This is also partially due to a reddish hue extending down the belly, providing the illusion of blood having run down the bird's front.
Description
On its upper surfaces, the Luzon Bleeding-heart is slate grey in colour, but because it is iridescentIridescence
Iridescence is generally known as the property of certain surfaces which appear to change color as the angle of view or the angle of illumination changes...
, it can appear to be purple, royal blue, or bottle-green, and the apparent colour varies with lighting conditions. The belly and under wing areas are buff or chestnut. As in most pigeons, there is little sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is a phenotypic difference between males and females of the same species. Examples of such differences include differences in morphology, ornamentation, and behavior.-Examples:-Ornamentation / coloration:...
; males tend to be larger and have a more pronounced red patch, and some authorities claim that the female has a purplish iris
Iris (anatomy)
The iris is a thin, circular structure in the eye, responsible for controlling the diameter and size of the pupils and thus the amount of light reaching the retina. "Eye color" is the color of the iris, which can be green, blue, or brown. In some cases it can be hazel , grey, violet, or even pink...
, though others dispute this. Body shape is typical of the genus, with a round body, a short tail and long legs.
Distribution
The species is endemicEndemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
to the central and southern parts of the large island of Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, and the neighbouring small Polillo Islands, in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. It lives in primary or secondary forest, and can be found at altitudes varying from sea level up to 1400 metres. They eat seeds, berries
Berry
The botanical definition of a berry is a fleshy fruit produced from a single ovary. Grapes are an example. The berry is the most common type of fleshy fruit in which the entire ovary wall ripens into an edible pericarp. They may have one or more carpels with a thin covering and fleshy interiors....
and grubs. They are shy and secretive, and very quiet, and rarely leave the ground except when nesting. Unlike the other bleeding-hearts, they usually lay two egg
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
s in each clutch.
Conservation Status
Although not formally regarded as endangeredEndangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
, the Luzon Bleeding-heart is under some threat, since it is commonly trapped. Local people use it for meat
Meat
Meat is animal flesh that is used as food. Most often, this means the skeletal muscle and associated fat and other tissues, but it may also describe other edible tissues such as organs and offal...
, but its striking appearance means that there is also a market for it in the pet
Pet
A pet is a household animal kept for companionship and a person's enjoyment, as opposed to wild animals or to livestock, laboratory animals, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for economic or productive reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful...
trade. A captive breeding project has been started in Australia.
The Luzon Bleeding-heart was featured on a Philippine 2-peso postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
in 1994.
External links
- Detailed account by a fancier who has kept the species in captivity
- Gallicolumba luzonica (Luzon Bleeding-heart, Bleeding Heart Dove, Bleeding Heart Pigeon) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesIUCN Red ListThe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...