Hill Pigeon
Encyclopedia
The Hill Pigeon or Eastern Rock Dove or Turkestan Hill Dove (Columba rupestris) is a species of bird
in the Columbidae family.
, Pakistan
, India
, Nepal
, Kazakhstan
, North Korea
, South Korea
, Mongolia
, Russia
, Tajikistan
, Afghanistan
and Turkmenistan
. This pigeon is comparatively restricted in range of Pakistan
to the furthest northern inner valleys of the Karakoram, Hindu Kush and Pamirs. In Pakistan it occurs in northern Chitral
particularly in the western part bordering Nuristan in Afghanistan, further east in valleys of Gilgit
in Yasin
and Hunza
and Karakoram ranges in Baltistan
from about 2000 meters in winter up to 5500 meters during summer months. Though the overall population is decreasing, since the rate of decrease is not alarming and the bird is widely distributed and abundant, it is classified as Least Concern
by IUCN.
In Tajikistan
it has been recorded as starting to nest as early as February with many young just fledging as late as September in northeastern Tibet. The males have a bowing display similar to that of the Rock Pigeon and nothing distinctive seems to have been recorded elsewhere about the display of this pigeon which suggests that display and courtship is similar. They nest in dense colonies on cliffs, gorges and rocky outcrops. In Tibet, the nests are often placed houses, both inhabited and empty or in holes in the wall. Nest consists of a platform of twigs or plant stem in which generally two eggs are laid. They may raise two brood in a year.
Their feeding habits are similar to Rock Pigeon, being mainly granivorous, supplementing their diet with green shoot and leaves and occasionally small mollusca such as and snails. On some occasions, they become very opportunistic, feeding on leftover food, partially digested food from Kiang dung and even undigested food from stomach of Kiang carcass which are ripped open by other predators.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the Columbidae family.
Description
Hill Pigeon is a stout bodied pigeon, very similar in size and general appearance to the Rock Pigeon, but mainly differentiated by its tail pattern which consist of a broad white tail-band across the black tail. Other differences include a paler mantle and upper wings and a white patch on the back. In flight, the tail pattern is similar to the Snow Pigeon, but lacks the contrast between the head and neck in that species.Taxonomy and systematics
Two races are recognized:- turkestanica, described by Buturlin, is found in the western range of distribution
- rupestris, described by Pallas, is found in the eastern range of distribution
Distribution and status
It is found in ChinaChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
, North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Tajikistan
Tajikistan
Tajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan , formerly also known as Turkmenia is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic . Turkmenistan is one of the six independent Turkic states...
. This pigeon is comparatively restricted in range of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
to the furthest northern inner valleys of the Karakoram, Hindu Kush and Pamirs. In Pakistan it occurs in northern Chitral
Chitral
Chitral or Chetrar , translated as field in the native language Khowar, is the capital of the Chitral District, situated on the western bank of the Kunar River , in Pakistan. The town is at the foot of Tirich Mir, the highest peak of the Hindu Kush, high...
particularly in the western part bordering Nuristan in Afghanistan, further east in valleys of Gilgit
Gilgit
Gilgit is a city in northern PakistanGilgit may refer to other terms related with the area of the city:* Gilgit River* Gilgit Valley* Gilgit District* Gilgit Agency * Gilgit Airport...
in Yasin
Yasin
The Yasin anti-tank rocket launcher is a weapon developed by Hamas' Ezzedeen-al-qassam brigades named after the group's spiritual leader, Sheik Ahmed Yasin, who was assassinated by the Israeli Defense Forces on March 22, 2004...
and Hunza
Hunza (princely state)
Hunza was a princely state in the northernmost part of the Northern Areas of Pakistan until 1974. The state was also known as Kanjut. The state bordered the Gilgit Agency to the south, the former princely state of Nagar to the east, China, to the north and Afghanistan to the northwest. The state...
and Karakoram ranges in Baltistan
Baltistan
Baltistan , also known as بلتیول བལིུལ་ in the Balti language, is a region in northern Pakistan which forms Gilgit-Baltistan, bordering the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China. In addition, a part of Baltistan also falls into Jammu and Kashmir of India. It is situated in the Karakoram mountains...
from about 2000 meters in winter up to 5500 meters during summer months. Though the overall population is decreasing, since the rate of decrease is not alarming and the bird is widely distributed and abundant, it is classified as Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern is an IUCN category assigned to extant taxon or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, Near Threatened, or Conservation Dependent...
by IUCN.
Behaviour and ecology
This species frequents open rugged country from 1,500 to 6,100 meters. Closely related to Rock Pigeon but more commonly found at higher altitudes. A gregarious species throughout the year, They feed in flocks in the terraced cultivated fields. They often mix with flocks of Rock Pigeons. They are very tame and are often found near human settlements, camps and pilgrimage routes.In Tajikistan
Tajikistan
Tajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
it has been recorded as starting to nest as early as February with many young just fledging as late as September in northeastern Tibet. The males have a bowing display similar to that of the Rock Pigeon and nothing distinctive seems to have been recorded elsewhere about the display of this pigeon which suggests that display and courtship is similar. They nest in dense colonies on cliffs, gorges and rocky outcrops. In Tibet, the nests are often placed houses, both inhabited and empty or in holes in the wall. Nest consists of a platform of twigs or plant stem in which generally two eggs are laid. They may raise two brood in a year.
Their feeding habits are similar to Rock Pigeon, being mainly granivorous, supplementing their diet with green shoot and leaves and occasionally small mollusca such as and snails. On some occasions, they become very opportunistic, feeding on leftover food, partially digested food from Kiang dung and even undigested food from stomach of Kiang carcass which are ripped open by other predators.