The pink-necked pigeon is a rare species of pigeon found in Southeast Asia. It gets its name from the bright pink patch of feathers on the back of its neck. This medium-sized pigeon has dark gray feathers on most of its body, with an iridescent green and purple sheen on its back and wings. The pink-necked pigeon is classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List due to habitat loss and trapping for the pet trade.
What does a pink-necked pigeon look like?
The most distinctive feature of the pink-necked pigeon is the bright pink patch on the back of its neck. This patch stands out against the pigeon’s otherwise gray plumage. The head, throat, and breast of the pink-necked pigeon are a soft gray color. Its lower belly and undertail are white. The feathers on the back and wings are dark charcoal gray with a glossy iridescent green and purple sheen visible in bright light. The pink-necked pigeon has dark red eyes and a grayish black bill with a yellow tip. The legs and feet are reddish-purple. Males and females look alike. Juveniles have a less vivid pink patch and more scales on their neck feathers.
Where does the pink-necked pigeon live?
The pink-necked pigeon is found in tropical and subtropical forests across mainland Southeast Asia, Sumatra, Borneo, and smaller nearby islands. Its range stretches from Myanmar and Thailand south through Malaysia and Indonesia. It lives in lowland and hill forests up to 1,600 feet above sea level. The pink-necked pigeon inhabits primary rainforests as well as secondary forests, mangroves, palm groves, and wooded gardens. It typically nests high in the forest canopy.
What does a pink-necked pigeon eat?
The pink-necked pigeon’s diet consists mainly of various fruits and berries. It prefers small fleshy fruits like figs, papaya, and rambutan. It will also eat larger fruits like jackfruit and mangos. The pink-necked pigeon supplements its fruit diet with flower petals and seeds. It typically forages for food high in the forest canopy, but may fly closer to the ground to feed in gardens and orchards near human habitation.
How does the pink-necked pigeon reproduce?
Pink-necked pigeons nest in monogamous pairs. The breeding season lasts from December to June, coinciding with the dry season in Southeast Asia. Both the male and female help build a flimsy platform nest high up in a tree, usually 10-20 meters above the ground. The nest is constructed from small twigs and lined with leaves and vine tendrils. The female lays a single white egg that hatches after 16-19 days. Both parents feed the chick a diet of regurgitated fruit pulp and seeds known as “crop milk.” Young pink-necked pigeons fledge from the nest at around 3 weeks old but remain dependent on their parents for another week or two.
Why is the pink-necked pigeon threatened?
The pink-necked pigeon is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List. This means it is likely to become endangered in the near future if conservation efforts are not made. There are estimated to be only 10,000-25,000 mature pink-necked pigeons remaining in the wild. The major threats facing this species are:
- Habitat loss due to deforestation for logging and agricultural conversion
- Hunting for food and the pet trade
- Competition for food from non-native bird species
- Collisions with man-made structures and vehicles
As its lowland forest habitat has declined across Southeast Asia, the pink-necked pigeon has vanished from many parts of its former range. Trapping for the caged bird trade has also severely impacted some populations. Without improved protection, it is likely to continue declining.
What conservation efforts are being made?
There are several conservation initiatives aimed at protecting the endangered pink-necked pigeon:
- Habitat protection in national parks and nature reserves
- Banning the trapping and export of wild-caught birds
- Anti-poaching patrols in protected areas
- Eco-tourism projects benefitting local communities
- Captive breeding programs to supplement wild populations
- Conservation education programs to raise awareness
Protected areas like the Betung Kerihun National Park in West Kalimantan provide sanctuary for populations of pink-necked pigeons. Patrols aim to curb poaching pressure in the park. Captive breeding at facilities like the Shepreth Wildlife Park in Malaysia is also helping to maintain genetic diversity for this rare species. But loss of lowland forest habitat across its range remains the biggest long-term threat to the pink-necked pigeon’s survival.
Interesting facts about the pink-necked pigeon
- The pink-necked pigeon is the only species in the genus Treron with a distinctive pink patch.
- It earned the nickname “strawberry pigeon” due to the fruit-like color of its pink feathers.
- This pigeon’s voice is a loud and repetitive “prrr-UUUP, prrr-UUUP” vocalization.
- Pink-necked pigeons feed in flocks, sometimes numbering over 100 birds at prime fruit trees.
- The male performs a bowing display before mating where it puffs up its neck feathers.
- Young fledglings have yellow tufts of down on their heads that disappear with age.
- This species can hybridize with the related Jambu fruit dove in captivity.
Conclusion
The pink-necked pigeon is a beautiful and threatened species facing an uncertain future. Destruction of its lowland rainforest habitat combined with over-hunting has caused this unique pigeon’s population to plummet. Targeted conservation measures like protected habitat, anti-poaching efforts, and captive breeding programs are critical to saving the pink-necked pigeon from extinction. This iconic Southeast Asian bird serves as an important indicator of the health and biodiversity of the region’s vanishing forests.
