Pink Pigeon: Encyclopedia II - Pink Pigeon - Habit

Pink Pigeon - Habit

It feeds on native plants - by consuming buds, flowers, leaves, shoots, fruits and seeds. Non-native species like Guava pose a threat to it by preventing growth of native trees. It does supplement its diet at feeding stations manned by conservation officials.

They feed and roost in small flocks.

The breeding season starts in August-September. The male courts the female with a "step and bow" display. Mating is monogamous, with the pair making a flimsy platform nest and defending a small area around it (even though the pigeons initially had no natural predators). The female usually lays 2 white eggs, and incubation duration is 2 weeks. The male incubates during the day, and the female during night and early day.

Males remain fertile till 17 - 18 years of age, females till 10 - 11 years of age.

1 - 7 days: Chicks eyes closed, fed entirely on crop milk.

7 - 10 days: Chicks undergo a dietary transformation to solid food.

2 - 4 weeks: Chicks fledge, but are parent-fed.

4 - 6/7 weeks: Chicks remain in the nest. After this the chicks leave the nest.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Habit", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki