Yellow-eyed Pigeon

Yellow-eyed Pigeon  Columba eversmanni

Etymology:

• Columba : Latin word for Pigeon, dove
• Eversmanni: Named after German Naturalist Dr Alexander Eduard Friedrich Eversmann (1794–1860)

Vernacular Names:

 Baluchistan: Kaputh, Chari kaputh, Persian: Kaftar, Hindi: Paharikabutar, Pun: Salara, Bi: Ban parawa, Bagar

Distribution in India: Winter visitor and passage migrant in North India.

Description: Size of 29-30 cm; wt. of 183–234 g. it is bluish grey overall; crown and breast mauve-pink; underwing-coverts, lower back and upper rump white or pale grey, lower rump and upper tail-coverts dark grey; iris yellow or yellowish brown; orbital skin pale yellow or cream; bill brownish or dark green basally, yellow to yellowish green or green distally; legs yellowish flesh. The female is duller, legs and bill have a dusky wash. The juvenile is duller than adult, with head and breast rusty fawn.

Habitat: It is found in Steppe and neighboring lowlands in lower middle latitudes, and deserts; also in mountain valleys close to sources of water; typically found on agricultural land on floodplains in winter.

Food Habits: It eats cereals and pine seeds; also herbs, bamboo shoots and green shoots of various plants. It also eats berries and small fruits. Feeding is done on ground only.

Breeding Habits: They breed in April-Aug. They nests in clefts in cliffs and also in European Roller burrows; also nests in hollows of old gnarled poplars, elms, planes and in orchards or ruined buildings. They lay a clutch of 2 eggs.Incubation is done by both sexes, for 18–19 days and fledging period is 12 days.