Our common birds kept/breeds include blue peafowl,
flying tipplers, strawberry finch, Indian Ring Necked
Parrot, Kalij Pheasant, Red Jungle Fowl, Cheer Pheasant,
Indian Little Quail, Button Quail or Yellow-legged button
quail, Monal Pheasant, Grey francolin, Black partridges,
Western Tragopan, Spice Finch, Rain Quail or black breasted
quail, Common Quail or Grey Quail, Ram Chakor, Chakor,
See-see Partridge, Rock Dove, Hill Pigeon, Wood pigeon,
Red Turtle Dove, Indian Ring Dove, Red Turtle Dove, Alexandrine
or large Indian parakeet, Plum headed parakeet, Slaty-headed
Parakeet. (This is still under construction)
DOVES/PIGEONS OF PAKISTAN
I got these descriptions from the book The birds of Pakistan.
Written by T.J. Roberts. The author is an internationally
recognized ornithologist whose extensive study of the
avifauna of Pakistan over a period of thirty-four years
has culminated in this comprehensive two-volume account
of the bird species of Pakistan.
HILL PIGEON, EASTERN ROCK DOVE
OR TURKESTAN HILL PIGEON
A stout bodied pigeon very similar in size and general
appearance to the blue rock but mainly differentiated
by its tail pattern which consist of a dark ashy band
at the tip and base separated by broad almost white mid
portion, similar in flight to the pattern of the snow
pigeon.
Habitat, Distribution and status.
This pigeon is comparatively restricted in range in Pakistan
to the furthest northern inner valleys of the Karakoram,
Hindu Kush and Pamirs. In Pakistan it occurs in northern
chitral particularly in the western part bordering Nuristan
in Afghanistan, further east in valleys of Gilgit in Yasin
and Hunza and Karakoram ranges in Baltistan from about
2000 meters in winter up to 5500 meters during summer
months.
Habits
A gregarious species throughout the year, feeding in flocks
in the terraced cultivated fields in winter and nesting
colonials in suitable cliffs in the summer. Their feeding
habits are similar to Columba livia, being mainly granivorous,
supplementing their diet with green shoot and leaves and
occasionally small mollusca such as and snails.
Breeding Biology
The males have a bowing display similar to that of the
blue rock pigeon and nothing distinctive seems to have
been recorded elsewhere about the display of this pigeon
which suggests that display and courtship is similar to
C. Livia. It is an early breeder, nesting in small colonies
on cliffs and crags. In the USSR it has been recorded
as starting to nest as early as February with many young
just fledging as late as September in northeastern Tibet.
A platform of twigs or plant stem is placed in the nesting
SNOW PIGEON
DESCRIPTION
Its general body build is like the common rock dove with
broad square tail, stout body and small head, but it averages
slightly larger in size than c. livia. The whole of the
neck and breast is pure white with the head contrasting
sharply, being a dark blue Grey. The sexes are alike.
Habitat, Distribution and Status
A resident high alpine and mountain dwelling pigeon,
which in our area is more widespread in distribution and
found in more southerly latitudes than Columba rupestris.
In wintertime it occasionally descends to the broader
lower valleys, as low as 1500 meters.
Habits
Can be seen in small flocks in wintertime as well as
in the summer and it is colonial in nesting also.
Breeding Biology
They nest in small colonies in cliffs or steep rock faces.
Either in river gorges or on mountain slopes. The same
site is used year after year and the nests made of stick
platforms, become very fouled with droppings. The eggs
are plain white and normally two in number. In captivity
the incubation period is 17 to 19 days and both parents
share incubation duties. Captive birds were noted to have
bowing display with the hinder part of the body and tail
being jerked upwards as the head bobbed forward and downward
. In the wild they have a display flight similar to the
rock pigeon with wing clapping and sailing on stiffly
spread and slightly raised wings in the vicinity of the
nest colony.
PALE BACKED EASTERN STOCK DOVE
OR YELLOW EYED STOCK DOVE
Description
A very compact pigeon, slightly shorter tailed and smaller
in overall sizes than the rock pigeon. It is similar in
general body shape and coloration to c.livia but if examined
closely will be found to have only two, or a third partly
abbreviated, black bar or rather spots on the wing coverts
and to have the mid back region much paler than in the
plains population of c.livia. The head and upper breast
is a distinctly mauve pink tone and the sides of the neck
are metallic emerald green. The tail has a dark blackish
terminal band, and the under wing coverts in light are
very pale Grey to white. The bill is greenish slaty with
the cere greenish yellow.
Habitat, distribution and status
A winter migrant only to Pakistan, being found mostly
in the plains west of the Indus river or in their immediate
riverain areas where it is highly gregarious in both roosting
and feeding. A small population breeds in northern Afghanistan
but probably most of the birds wintering in Pakistan breed
in Asiating Russia, in Turkmenia, Tashkent and Tien Shan,
Habits.
They roost in trees and when disturbed commonly fly up
into trees in sharp contrast to columba livia which prefers
buildings or earth cliffs and rock ledges for perching.
Their flight is strong and rapid and when a flock takes
off their wings make a high whirring noise. They feed
on berries such as ziziphus and mulberries plucked from
trees, as well grass seeds and seeds of cultivated cereals.
However, they feed mostly on the ground in their winter
quarters.
Breeding Biology
Trees with suitable nest holes and scarce in the arid
steppic hill country where it breeds but Hagen found nests
in hollow willow trees They also nest in holes in poplar
trees. However, most breeding is in earth cliffs both
in the Russia and Afghanistan. Courtship involves much
cooing from the vicinity of the nest site. Nesting is
in full swing in June, July and August. The eggs are plain
white and presumably two is the normal club.
INDIAN RING DOVE, COLLARED DOVE/COLLARED TURTLE DOVE
Description
A pale Grey brown dove with a pale lilac pink tint to
the head and neck only discernible in good light, and
more earthy brownish Grey back and wing coverts. The tail
is blue-Grey. The breast pinkish buff, whiter on the lower
belly and under-tail coverts. The sexes are alike.
Habitat, distribution and status
This dove is essentially a plains species, avoiding rocky
foothill. There is however a summer migration into the
broader cultivated valleys of Baluchistan and the NWFP
where it breeds. It is the commonest dove throughout the
Punjab.
Habits
A largely ground feeding granivorous dove, which sometimes
congregates in large flocks in cultivated areas. Picking
up seeds from threshing floors and freshly harvested crops
whilst still lying in the field. In the city of multan
they have also been noted digging up and eating newly
germinated maize crops. Their food consisted mainly of
cultivated grains including wheat, barley, rice, mustard
and linseed with a lesser proportion of weeds. They roost
by night and at intervals during the day in trees and
bushes, usually congregating in small flocks.
Breeding
The display flight of this species can be seen for most
of the spring and summer months. The male rises steeply
with wings clapped audibly over its back and then with
tail spread and wings spread horizontally, planes down
often in a sweeping semicircle, to the accompaniment of
display call, coo-coo-cuw. Nesting is from may to September
with probably two peak breeding period in April and again
post monsoon in august/September. The nest is a typical
dove flimsy platform of inters lacing twigs placed generally
well inside a thorny bush or taller trees at heights vary
from 1.5 to 2.7 meters. The majority of clutches comprise
two eggs, plain white and smooth glossy shelled.
RED TURTLE DOVE OR RED COLLARED
DOVE
DESCRIPTION
Intermediate in size between the larger collared dove
and the smaller little brown dove with a relatively shorter
tail and plumper body then s.senegalensis. Its has blue
Grey head and neck sharply divided from the back and wing
coverts by s short black collar encircling the hind neck
which is finely edged with white. The back and wings are
a reddish maroon or purplish chestnut from which its name
is derived. The bill is black and the legs and feet are
dull red to brownish red. The iris is dark brown. Females
have slightly browner Grey head and are paler duller more
sandy brown on the upper part of the body.
HABITAT, DISTRIBUTION AND STATUS.
This is an oriental species extending to Taiwan and the
Philippines but uncommon on the Malaysian archipelago.
It is a summer migrant visitor to Pakistan and India where
it is more or less resident. It is abundant in the Punjab
plains. They prefer better-wooded tracts such as canal
or roadside tree plantations and avoid extensive desert
regions. When they first arrive they are often in small
flocks, but they soon split up and start pain formation
and breeding.
HABITS
A less commensal species not so dependent for its food
on cultivated grains. Weed and grass seeds are included
in greater proportion in the diet, though it gleans cultivated
grains from stubble fields and more often can be seen
feeding on the ground. They feed almost exclusively on
the ground and will sometime supplement their diet with
buds and green shoots.
BREEDING BIOLOGY
The advertising call of this little dove fills the air
during the hot days of March and April, as birds call
from the depths of leafy trees. They nest quite high up
in trees (avg. height 6.5 up to 8 meters above ground),
making the typical flimsy platform of slender twigs. The
normal clutch is 2 eggs, plain white and both sexes share
in nest building and incubation.
Apart from above-mentioned
doves other doves are:
- Rufous turtle dove or oriental turtle dove,
- Western turtle dove,
- Little brown dove laughing or palm dove of Africa,
- Spotted dove or Chinese dove,
- Orange breasted green pigeon,
- Common green pigeon or yellow footed green pigeon,
- Wedge-tailed green pigeon or kokla green pigeon,
