Pale-capped Pigeon
Encyclopedia
The Pale-capped Pigeon (Columba punicea) also known as the Purple Wood Pigeon is a species of large pigeon that is found patchily distributed in parts of South and Southeast Asia. It has a slow flight and spends a lot of time sitting still in the foliage of large fruiting trees, often in riverine forest on the plains. It is mainly brown above and chestnut below with the a sheen of green or amethyst. Males have a whitish grey cap while females have a brownish grey cap and less gloss on the feathers. They are frugivorous, foraging in small groups in the canopy of trees but sometimes descending to the ground for seeds and fallen fruit.
Some taxonomists have grouped it along with Columba argentina which are both Old World pigeons that lack patterns on the back of the neck.
, Myanmar
, Thailand
, Laos
, Cambodia
and Vietnam
. The type specimen was collected in Chaibasa, Singhbum and a specimen of the species was collected from Sri Lanka by EL Layard but few records exist from Peninsular India. Records of the species exist from Maharahtra, Orissa, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh (Araku valley). Observers considered it a seasonal visitor in Sri Lanka. In some parts of Thailand, they are winter visitors and birds have been seen roosting in mangroves far from the mainland.
They are found mainly on the forests of the plains. It frequents a wide variety of habitats from the lowlands up to 1,600 m, chiefly primary or secondary evergreen
forest, but also open, deciduous
dipterocarp forest, bamboo
, and agricultural fields, particularly in close proximity to forest. Mangroves, small forested islands and other coastal habitats are probably only frequented in the non-breeding season. It is mainly frugivorous, although seeds and grain form important dietary components in some areas. Tickell noted that the birds were found in groups of 4 to 5, mainly on Eugenia trees near rivers. They ate the berries of these trees, foraging in the morning and evenings and resting during the heat of the day. Layard noted that they favoured Cinnamon trees in Sri Lanka. It does not appear to have been common in most of its range. It was said to be common on the island of Koh Mur or Pulau Muntia in western Thailand. Recent records indicate that it now only occurs rarely and erratically within its range.
A species of helminth parasite, Cotugnia joyeuxi Baer, was first collected from this species from a Burmese specimen.
Description
This large 36-40.5 cm long, pigeon is all-dark chestnut brown with a contrasting pale crown. The male has whitish-grey crown, purplish-maroon upperparts with faint green gloss on the neck; more strongly iridescent mantle and back; dark slate-coloured rump and uppertail-coverts; vinous-brown ear-coverts, throat and underparts[ slaty-grey undertail-coverts; and blackish tail and flight feathers. Females have a more brownish-grey crown. Juveniles initially have the crown colour matching the mantle, duller wing-coverts and scapulars with rufous fringes, a much reduced gloss on the upperparts and greyer underparts. The legs are crimson and iris is creamy-yellow in adults. The skin around the eyes and the ceres are magenta.Some taxonomists have grouped it along with Columba argentina which are both Old World pigeons that lack patterns on the back of the neck.
Distribution and habitat
Pale-capped Pigeon is very locally distributed across its broad range, which encompasses parts of northern India, BangladeshBangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
, Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
and Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. The type specimen was collected in Chaibasa, Singhbum and a specimen of the species was collected from Sri Lanka by EL Layard but few records exist from Peninsular India. Records of the species exist from Maharahtra, Orissa, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh (Araku valley). Observers considered it a seasonal visitor in Sri Lanka. In some parts of Thailand, they are winter visitors and birds have been seen roosting in mangroves far from the mainland.
They are found mainly on the forests of the plains. It frequents a wide variety of habitats from the lowlands up to 1,600 m, chiefly primary or secondary evergreen
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
forest, but also open, deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
dipterocarp forest, bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
, and agricultural fields, particularly in close proximity to forest. Mangroves, small forested islands and other coastal habitats are probably only frequented in the non-breeding season. It is mainly frugivorous, although seeds and grain form important dietary components in some areas. Tickell noted that the birds were found in groups of 4 to 5, mainly on Eugenia trees near rivers. They ate the berries of these trees, foraging in the morning and evenings and resting during the heat of the day. Layard noted that they favoured Cinnamon trees in Sri Lanka. It does not appear to have been common in most of its range. It was said to be common on the island of Koh Mur or Pulau Muntia in western Thailand. Recent records indicate that it now only occurs rarely and erratically within its range.
Behaviour and ecology
These pigeons fly about in small groups, foraging mainly in the morning and evening. They are said to have a low call similar to that of Ducula aenea but shorter and less prolonged. The breeding season is May to August and the flimsy platform nest is placed low down in a tree and one or rarely two eggs are laid.A species of helminth parasite, Cotugnia joyeuxi Baer, was first collected from this species from a Burmese specimen.