Laughing dove or palm dove and Senegal dove - Streptopelia senegalensis (Linnaeus, 1766) - Φοινικοτρύγονο, Φοινικοπερίστερο - Cyprus

Το φοινικοτρύγονο είναι είδος τρυγονιού που εξαπλώνεται στην Υποσαχάρια Αφρική, τη Μέση Ανατολή και την Ινδική υποήπειρο. Στην Κύπρο το φοινικοτρύγονο θεωρείται τυχαίος επισκέπτης και τα τελευταία χρόνια άρχισε να εποικίζει τον τόπο μας με γοργούς ρυθμούς. Το συναντούμε κυρίως σε κατοικημένες περιοχές και φωλιάζει συνήθως σε δέντρα σε κήπους σπιτιών με προτιμήσει τα γνωστά μας Γιούκα με τα πυκνά φυλλώματα. Την γρήγορη του εξάπλωση την οφείλει στο γεγονός ότι αναπαράγετε αρκετές φορές τον χρόνο ακόμα και στην καρδιά του χειμώνα. Είναι ένα πολύ φιλικό είδος με τον άνθρωπο και πλησιάζετε εύκολα και για αυτό την εποχή του κυνήγιού δυστυχώς αποδεκατίζονται από τους κυνηγούς.

Γιώργος Κωνσταντίνου

The laughing dove (Streptopelia  senegalensis) is a small pigeon that is a resident breeder in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East east to the Indian Subcontinent. This small long-tailed dove is found in dry scrub and semi-desert habitats where pairs can often be seen feeding on the ground. A rufous and black chequered necklace gives it a distinctive pattern and is also easily distinguished from other doves by its call. Other names include palm dove and Senegal dove while in India the name of the little brown dove is often used. It was introduced in Western Australia and has established itself in the wild around Perth and Fremantle.
It is a common and widespread species in scrub, dry farmland and habitation over a good deal of its range, often becoming very tame. The species is found in much of Sub-Saharan Africa, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. It is also found in Israel, Lebanon, Syria, the UAE and Turkey (these populations may be derived from human introductions). They are mostly sedentary but some populations may make movements. Birds ringed in Gujarat have been recovered 200 km north in Pakistan and exhausted birds have been recorded landing on ships in the Arabian Sea. The species (thought to belong to the nominate population) was introduced to Perth in 1889 and has become established around Western Australia. Birds that land on ships may be introduced to new regions.
The species is usually seen in pairs or small parties and only rarely in larger groups. Larger groups are formed especially when drinking at waterholes in arid regions. Small numbers assemble on trees near waterholes before flying to the water's edge where they are able to suck up water like other members of the pigeon family. Laughing doves eat the fallen seeds, mainly of grasses, other vegetable matter and small ground insects such as termites and beetles. They are fairly terrestrial, foraging on the ground in grasslands and cultivation. Their flight is quick and direct with the regular beats and an occasional sharp flick of the wings which are characteristic of pigeons in general.  From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Photos Zakaki , Aradippou by George Konstantinou