The first Namaqua Dove Oena capensis in Cyprus
| IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON of 16 April 1998, CL walked a track adjacent to some small cultivated fields by the Tomb of the Kings at Paphos. Approaching an old tractor, he flushed a small dove from the sandy track towards a disused building, from where it was flushed again and flew off strongly. CL's impression was of a small long-tailed dove (resembling a Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura) with reddish brown in the wing. He continued to the beach and when returning flushed it from the track again. It flew to a recently ploughed plot and commenced feeding. On the ground its shuffling walk on short legs was reminiscent of a ground-dove Columbina spp. Later that afternoon, at 16.00, the bird. was relocated at the Tomb of the Kings and also seen by DL. Reference to Jonsson (1992) suggested Namaqua Dove Oena capelisis as a possible identification, due to the reddish primaries, but the lack of full details or a picture of the species prevented a conclusive identification. The bird was relocated on 18 April, again on the track by the old tractor and subsequently in the newly ploughed plot. On this occasion, the bird was shown to two other observers, and reference to Heinzel et al. (1972) confirmed the bird's identification as a female Namaqua Dove.
|
|
Description |
Size smaller than Collared Streptopelia decaocto or Turtle Doves Streptopelia turtur. Head, neck and mantle similar in colour to Collared Dove, but greyer in tone with a purple sheen. Throat grey-purple. Eye black. Underparts whitish. Wing-coverts slightly paler grey than mantle. Dark brown mark on inner web of greater-coverts. Closed primaries black with areas of reddish brown. In flight, these had prominent reddish-brown patches. The secondaries were grey/purple with paler grey fringes. Tail long, longer than body and black with white tips to some feathers. One tail shaft broken. Tail shape similar to Mourning Dove (appearing diamond-shaped in flight). Short reddish-orange legs. Long bill black with a yellow band near tip and relatively fine. Upper mandible broader at base, narrowing at tip, presenting a decurved appearance. Bill appeared large in relation to the bird's overall size. Namaqua Dove is principally a resident, although it performs seasonal and/or nomadic movements, in sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar and Arabia. The nearest populations to Cyprus are those in Israel and Jordan, and there is evidence of range expansions in Arabia and Israel since the mid-1970s (del Hoyo et al. 1997). The night of 15 April had been dominated by strong northerly onshore winds and thunder storms, and the next day a Caspian Plover Charadrius asiaticus, Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni and Trumpeter Finch Bucanetes githagineus were all found on the island. This record is the first in Cyprus and has been accepted by the Cyprus Ornithological Society (1957) Rarities Committee.
|
References |
DEL HOYO, J., ELLIOT, A. AND SARGATAL, J. (EDS) (1994) Handbook of the birds of the world. Vol. 4. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Chris and Denise Lamsdell, 4 Hardings Close, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire SL0 0HL, U. K. |
| - go back to start of note on Namaqua Dove | |
| - view more articles from Sandgrouse 22(1) | |
| - return to OSME contents home page |