Palau fruit dove
{{short description|Species of bird}}
{{speciesbox
| name = Palau fruit dove
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| image = Palau Fruit Dove Ptilinopus pelewensis photographed on Babeldaob Palau in 2013 by Devon Pike (cropped).jpg
| genus = Ptilinopus
| species = pelewensis
| authority = Hartlaub & Finsch, 1868
| synonyms =
}}
The Palau fruit dove (Ptilinopus pelewensis) is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to Palau and it is also Palau's national bird.{{cite book|last1=Minahan|first1=James|title=The Complete Guide to National Symbols and Emblems [2 Volumes] |date=2009 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |location=Santa Barbara |isbn=9780313344978 |page=146 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jfrWCQAAQBAJ&q=national+bird+of+palau&pg=PA147}}
Description
The Palau fruit dove is {{convert|23|to(-)|25|cm|in|abbr=on}} long and weighs around {{convert|93|g|abbr=on}}. The species has a grey head, neck and breast with a purple cap and yellow line. There is an orange band across the lower breast and belly and olive-green back, wings and tail. Both sexes are alike. Juvenile birds resemble the adults but lack the purple cap, the green upperparts are lined with yellow and the belly is yellow.{{cite web |last1=Baptista|first1=L.|last2=Trail|first2=P.|last3=Horblit|first3=H.|last4=Boesman|first4=P.|editor1-last=del Hoyo |editor1-first=Josep |editor2-last=Elliott |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Sargatal |editor3-first=Jordi |editor4-last=Christie |editor4-first=David A. |editor5-last=de Juana |editor5-first=Eduardo |year=2017 |title=Palau Fruit-dove (Ptilinopus pelewensis)|work=Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive |url=http://www.hbw.com/species/palau-fruit-dove-ptilinopus-pelewensis |publisher=Lynx Edicions |location=Barcelona, Spain |access-date=12 July 2017 |url-access=subscription }}
Distribution and habitat
The Palau fruit dove is endemic to Palau, where it is common in all habitats across the island. The species declined due to hunting prior to 1945, but has rebounded with protection and is now common.{{cite journal|last1=Pratt|first1=H. Douglas|last2=Engbring|first2=John|last3=Bruner|first3=Phillip L.|last4=Berrett|first4=Delwyn G.|title=Notes on the Taxonomy, Natural History, and Status of the Resident Birds of Palau|journal=The Condor|date=May 1980|volume=82|issue=2|pages=117|doi=10.2307/1367460|jstor=1367460|url=http://hdouglaspratt.com/journal_articles/Pratt%20et%20al%201980%20Palau.pdf}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1272258}}
Category:Endemic fauna of Palau
Category:Endemic birds of Palau
Category:Birds described in 1868
Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
{{Columbiformes-stub}}