Luzon Bleeding-heart
Its name comes from the red “bloodspot” on the plumage
Of the Columbidae family, the Bleeding-Heart Pigeon owes its common name to the red “bloodspot” on the plumage on its breast, the rest of its body being grey, blue-grey and white.
It really looks as though the bird has been stabbed because, at the centre of that red spot, there is a darker slit like the trace of a blade!
Males and females carry the same plumage. When they meet, and also at the time of the courtship parades, the males inflate their chest in order to present a broader and thus more impressive - or more seductive – red spot.
The Bleeding-Heart Pigeon is mainly terrestrial, flying off, over short distances, only in the event of imminent danger. On the ground, it forages for seeds and fruit fallen into the leaves of the undergrowth where it lives. Hunted for its flesh but also for the exotic bird trade, the Bleeding-Heart Pigeon is classified as “Near Threatened”.
A “near threatened” species
- Name: Luzon Bleeding-heart
- Latin name: Gallicolumba luzonica
- Origin: The Philippines
- IUCN status: Near threatened
- Cites: Appendix II
