Green- and Imperial-Pigeons of Bangladesh: Distribution, Abundance as well as Breeding

Department of Biology, Cantonment Public College, Saidpur Cantonment―5311, Nilphamari, Bangladesh

*Corresponding author: Ashraful Kabir, Department of Biology, Cantonment Public School and College, Saidpur Cantonment—5311, Nilphamari, Bangladesh, Phone: +88-01712563750; E-mail: ashraful.mission@gmail.com

Received Date: March 04, 2025

Published Date: March 18, 2025

Citation: Kabir A. (2025). Green- And Imperial-Pigeons of Bangladesh: Distribution, Abundance as Well as Breeding. Mathews J Vet Sci. 9(3):70.

Copyrights: Kabir A. © (2025).

ABSTRACT

On the basis of seed dispersal, green- and imperial-pigeons have a remarkable impact for nature. Very few papers were helped to accumulate the findings of this write-up. Like other birds, these pigeons are decreasing due to habitat loss and hunting pressure not only in Bangladesh but also all over the world. To conserve this significant bird species, need to implement long-term studies.

Keywords: Green-Pigeons, Imperial-Pigeons, Distribution, Abundance, Breeding Biology.

INTRODUCTION

Based on evolutionary aspects, pigeons and doves have a great significance. It has important connecting links which may indicate many unknown biological events. Green-pigeons are found in the Ethiopian and Oriental regions, few of them just reach the Palaearctic region of eastern Asia. Imperial pigeons (fruit-pigeons) inhabit southern Asia, Australasia, and some of the Pacific Islands [1]. The members of the green-pigeons are differed from other pigeons with their long and narrower gut [2]. They are highly arboreal, even preferring to drink water by sliding down a branch of trees, swift flyers, and they exhibit local movement. In the Himalaya hill stations and upland valleys, wedge-tailed green pigeon is a common summer visitor [3]. The African group of Treron (green-pigeons) may have evolved from the Oriental dry-country or more likely Oriental evergreen-forest [4]. There are 316 wild pigeons and doves in the world [5], and the total species in the group of green- and imperial-pigeons are 23 and 35 respectively [6]. Yellow-footed green pigeon is an important frugivorous tropical bird and perform in seed dispersal and forest regeneration [6-8]. IUCN Bangladesh [9] has published the present status of 17 types of doves (6 green-pigeons and 2 imperial-pigeons) of Bangladesh with national and global status, and Kabir [10] just focused on the breeding of these birds. The objective of this short review is to focus the availability and distribution of green- and imperial-pigeons in order to protect them.

Table 1. Green- and imperial-pigeons of Bangladesh

Feeding: Imperial pigeons have distensible gapes that allow swallowing surprisingly large fruits [1]. When pin-tailed green pigeon eats fruits, lowered their head and tail close to the branch in a very parakeet-like manner [1].

Breeding season: The breeding season of green- and imperial-pigeons depends on the seasonal diversity. Some species exhibit their breeding biology all the year round (Table 1).

Courtship and mating: Before mating, male exhibits courtship displays to mate with reproductive females. This stage is very short and is important to continue their total breeding cycle.

Nesting: They make twig nest in tall trees near human habitation [11].

Hatching: The green and yellow colouration depends on yellow carotenoid pigments in the plumage. Unsuitable feeding in captivity this pigeon fails to develop these pigments and produce many typical colours in their offspring. Clutch size of imperial-pigeon is 1 (rarely 2) but in green-pigeon this is 2 [1].

Plate 1. Yellow-footed green-pigeon [12].

Plate 2. Green-imperial pigeon [13].

CONCLUSIONS

Imperial-pigeons are highly edible to man and consequently suffer heavy predation [1]. Khan [14] mentioned the availability of green- and imperial-pigeons of Bangladesh. According to the report of IUCN Bangladesh [9], all green- and imperial-pigeons are decreasing day by day due to habitat loss. Like other birds, habitat loss and hunting are their serious threat [15]. Crows and hawks are their natural predators as well [11]. Long-term population monitoring and ecological studies are required immediately for their natural conservation [11].

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

None.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors declare that they have no financial interests or personal relationships that could have influenced this work.

REFERENCES

1. Goodwin D. (1970). Pigeons and Doves of the World. 2^nd edn. Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). 446 pp.
2. Cowles GS, Goodwin D. (1959). Seed digestion by the fruit-eating pigeons Treron. Ibis. 101:253-254.
3. Ali S, Ripley SD. (1981). Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan. 2^nd edn. Vol. 3. Oxford University Press, India. 327 pp.
4. Husain KZ. (1958). Subdivisions and zoogeography of the genus Treron (green fruit-pigeons). Ibis. 100(3):334-348.
5. Gibbs D, Barnes E, Cox J. (2001). Pigeons and Doves: A Guide to the Pigeons and Doves of the World. Pica Press, London. 615 pp.
6. Siddiqui KU, Islam MA, Kabir SMH, Ahmad M, Ahmed ATA, Rahman AKA, et al. (1985). On the role of birds in the dynamics of neo-tropical forests. In: Diamond JM, Lovejoy TE. (eds.). Conservation of Tropical Forest Birds. ICBP, Cambridge, UK. pp. 49-212.
7. Corlett RT. (1998). Frugivory and seed dispersal by vertebrates in the Oriental (Indomalayan) Region. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc. 73(4):413-448.
8. McConney KR, Meehan HJ, Drake DR. (2004). Seed dispersal by Pacific pigeons (Ducula pacifica) in Tonga, Western Polynesia. Emu. 104:369-376.
9. IUCN Bangladesh. (2015). Red List of Bangladesh Volume 3: Birds. IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Bangladesh Country Office, Dhaka, Bangladesh. pp. xvi+676.
10. Kabir A. (2020). Breeding status of wild doves in Bangladesh. International Journal of Research Studies in Zoology. 6(1):1-4.
11. Devi OS, Saikia PK. (2012). Notes on the nesting behaviour of yellow-footed green pigeon Treron phoenicoptera (Columbidae) at Jeypore Reserve Forest, Assam, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa. 4(3):2470-2475.
12. Yellow-footed green-pigeon. Available at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Yellow_Footed_green_pigeon.jpg
13. Green-imperial pigeon. Available at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Green_imperial_pigeon,_Sri_Lanka_2020-05-03.jpg
14. Khan MMH. (2008). Protected Areas of Bangladesh―A Guide to Wildlife. Nishorgo Program, Bangladesh Forest Department, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
15. Walker JS. (2007). Geographical patterns of threat among pigeons and doves (Columbidae). Oryx. 41(3):289-299.