#nicobar pigeon

[amnhnyc]

Did you know? This colorful bird might be one of the Dodo’s closest living relatives! Meet the Nicobar Pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica). This bird lives in forest or mangrove habitats on islands, such as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Like some other birds and reptiles, it has a gizzard stone in its stomach that helps break down tougher foods in its diet, like the hard exteriors of seeds and nuts.

Photo: Mykola Swarnyk, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

[all-iridescent-birds]

Strutting in as our next bird; the Nicobar pigeon.

The nicobar pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica) is a pretty good sized pigeon from India! The bird, while known for its fantastic, beaming rainbow iridescent feathers is also known for being the closest living relative of the dodo (yes, the dodo was a pigeon!) and also near threatened. It is also the only living member in its genus. Amazing!

[zondearts]

Todays warm up (I should really rephrase this, cuz it implies I draw every day) pigeons :3c

[scottpartridge]

Day 18 of #avianaugust is #nicobarpigeon . #avianaugust2024 is hosted by @cookiedoves and has a #pigeon and #dove or #Columbiformes theme this year.

[i-am-megalodonna]

Decided to go a bit more stylized with this very stylish bird

Prompt list under the cut

[keeskiwi]

Avian August day 18 - Nicobar pigeon

[harkthorn]

And finally, red ballpoint pen bird sketches

-2709

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Nicobar Pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica)

Habitat & Distribution

Found on the Nicobar islands in the eastern Indian Ocean

Can reside in rainforests, deciduous forests, mangroves, and scrubland

Physical Description

Weight: Up to 0.5 kg (21 oz)

Wingspan: 53 to 58 cm (21 to 23 in)

The head and long neck ruff are gray, but the body sports shiny copper and metallic green plumage

Behaviour

Like most pigeons, the Nicobar pigeon congregates in large flocks

They spend the day foraging for seeds and fruit both on the ground and in the canopy

At night they roost on offshore islets that lack predators

Monkeys and humans are the main hunters of Nicobar pigeons

Key Advantages

Capable of rapid takeoff and flight

The strong, hooked bill is able to crack open extremely hard nuts and can deliver a serious bite

Photo by the Lincoln Park Zoo

[critter-captures]

Nicobar pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica), family Columbidae (doves and pigeons)

The closest living relative of the dodo and the Rodrigues solitaire.

Avifauna, taken July 2024

[kateammann]

These three birbs are days 12, 18, and 26 of Avian August! I already made them a while back, hence the seemingly out of place birds in my recent compilations hahah

[cypherdecypher]

Animal of the Day!

Dodo (Raphus cucullatus)

(Photo from Smithsonian Magazine)

Extinction Date- 1681

Habitat- Island of Mauritius

Size (Weight/Length)- 22 kg; 90 cm tall

Diet- Fruits; Nuts; Roots; Seeds

Cool Facts- As dodos went extinct in the 1600’s, we only know what they look like from incomplete skeletons and illustrations. These large birds were found only on the tiny Island of Mauritius off the coast of Madagascar. Little is known about their behavior but their skeletons imply they could run extremely fast despite being unable to fly. Their large beak may have been used in territorial displays due to the Island’s limited resources. They were primarily vegetarians but would occasionally eat a crab or shellfish. People first visited the Island of Mauritius in 1507 and the dodos were quickly hunted by people and invasive species alike due to their flightless and fearless behavior. Today, the near threatened Nicobar pigeon is their closest relative. Cracking down on the illegal pet trade and their illegal poaching has resulted in the Nicobar pigeon doing much better than their long since passed relative.

Rating- 13/10 (Dodos were originally thought to be a myth and extinction to be propaganda.)

[microwsoftpaint]

0.006 the nicobar pigeon is the closest living relative of the dodo

[lil-tachyon]

Nicobar pigeon

[sitting-on-me-bum]

The side-profile of a Nicobar Pigeon.

Photo by Rob Potter on Unsplash

[shroompunk]

sirocco's put together a more colorful disguise and since i've gotta do a commission featuring him, i pre-planned his new look a little

ID: Sketchy digital illustration of an anthro nicobar pigeon man wearing a semi-sheer iridescent white robe that is belted around the middle. He's holding a wooden walking staff. His feathers are gray with rainbow iridescent color.

[christinaseas]

I don't think I ever shared this here because I never got around to doing the legs, but I tried painting a bird a few weeks ago. This is a Nicobar Pigeon. Next bird I try might be a little less dynamic coloring because it was challenging to capture both that and the texture.