Laurel Pigeon - Description

Description

The Laurel Pigeon is a rather plain, dark grey bird of 38 cm. Large, dark brown and grey pigeon. Mainly dark sepia-brown, redder on underparts. Pale grey tail with broad, whitish terminal band. Extensive green gloss to rear crown and hindneck becoming pink on upper mantle. Whitish bill and pale eye.

A rare resident breeder in the mountain laurisilva and Canary pine forests, the Laurel Pigeon builds a stick nest in a tree. There it lays one white egg.

At 40–43 cm, a Laurel Pigeon looks like a very dark Wood Pigeon. It is a basically dark brown bird, with a dark pink breast. The lack of any white markings, together with its darker markings, distinguish it from the other species.

Brown, rather than dark grey plumage, and the lack of dark bands on the grey tail distinguish it from the other pigeon endemic to the Canary Islands, Bolle's Pigeon.

A Laurel Pigeon's flight is quick and performed by regular beats. An occasional sharp flick of the wings is characteristic of pigeons in general. Often, the bird takes off with a loud clattering.

The call is a hoarse hiccuped cooing.

Dark tail base and rump and overall slate-grey colouration. Voice Crooning pu-pu-pooo.

The similar canarian species, the Dark-tailed Laurel Pigeon Columba bollii has pale grey subterminal band and blackish terminal band to tail.