Cladus: Eukaryota Name Ptilinopus layardi Elliot, 1878 Reference Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London Pt3 p.567 Vernacular names The Whistling Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus layardi), also known as the Velvet Dove or Yellow-headed Dove, is a small fruit dove from Fiji. The species is endemic to the islands of Kadavu and Ono in the Kadavu Group in the south of Fiji.
The Whistling Fruit Dove is the most primitive of the "golden doves", a small subgroup of the genus Ptilinopus which includes two other small Fijian fruit doves, the Golden Fruit Dove and the Orange Fruit Dove. The group was once split into its own genus, Chrysoenas. Description The Whistling Fruit Dove is a small dove (20 cm) that is sexually dimorphic in its velvety plumage. The plumage of the male is dark green with a yellow head and undertail coverts, the female lacks the yellow plumage. They are difficult to see in the forest canopy, but can be found due to their distinctive call, a clear rising whistle followed by a falling 'tinkle' [1] Behaviour Feeding The species feeds on fruits in the forest canopy. Breeding The breeding of this species has not been studied much, a nest described in 1982 was a 'loose thin platform' constructed with twig-like vines 3 m above the ground (Beckon 1982). When breeding only the female takes care of the young, an unusual adaption within the pigeon family. This difference in the levels of parental care has been suggested as an explanation of the sexual dimorphism in the golden doves. A single nestling was described. Conservation The Whistling Fruit Dove is considered near threatened by the IUCN. The species is currently common in the forests of Kadavu and Ono, with an estimated population of 10,000 birds (BirdLife International 2006). However it has a restriced range and it is declining due to habitat loss. References Notes ^ Pratt et al. {1987).
Beckon, W (1982) "A breeding record of the Whistling Dove of Kadavu, Fiji" Notornis 29(1): 1-7 [1]
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