Comoro Blue Pigeon
Alectroenas sganzini

AKA: Comoro Blue Fruit Dove, Blue Pigeon

©African Bird Society

©M. Herremans

Distribution: An arboreal species which inhabits humid tropical forests, mangroves, agricultural areas & secondary habitats of Comoro Islands. Feeds on the fruits & berries. The subspecies inhabits Aldabra Island.

Races: A. s. sganzini (Bonaparte 1854); A. s. minor (Berlepsch 1898)

Description: Length 27 cm. Head, neck and upper breast a silver-grey or pearl-grey, Remaining plumage a blackish blue with silver-grey suffusion on mantle & some feathers on the upper mantle silver-grey edged. Feathering on head & neck stiffened, elongated & bifuracated, are raised when excited giving an appearance of being ruffled.  The outer primary flight feather is re-curved at the tip & deeply indented on inner web. Iris red with yellow inner ring. Orbital carunculations forms a broad red facial patch. Bill olive green with yellow or horn tip. Legs & feet greyish blue. Female: tends to be paler overall; head & neck may have a grayer suffusion. Juvenile: generally a dull bronze olive green having narrow yellowish fringes to many feathers where the adult is blue. Also whitish grey where the adult is silver grey, eyes & orbital skin dull. Juvenile attain adult plumage very quickly.  

Voice:

Blue Pigeon Article:

Nesting: single white egg; no incubation data, but presumed to be about 28 days. Hatchling has greenish grey down.

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