Discover the amazing rainbow dove (and no, it was not created by AI)

There are those who say that new technologies such as artificial intelligenceThey are able to create things that seem unimaginable. First of all, there is nothing more contradictory to reality: the so-called artificial intelligence that creates images, such as Midjourney or D.Ethey actually lack creativity: they just obtain a large number of images and combine them, through different algorithms, to form certain patterns, following instructions or… urge Provided by the user.

It is more accurate to say that nature continues to surprise with “designs” that seem completely unreal. Put “designs” in quotation marks, because they are in fact There is no creative mind for those patterns; It is the blind process of biological evolution, through variation and selection, that brings together new traits and provides such amazing patterns. After all that, Evolution has taken billions of years of trial and error.

An authentic pigeon, in imaginative colours

In the forests of Southeast Asia lives a dove that arouses the curiosity of everyone who sees it because of its color. The most accepted common name is Pink-necked vinago (Treron Fernanz), although it is called frequently Rainbow doveAnd just by looking at the picture, it’s easy to see why.

The scientific name given by Linnaeus himself already indicates the fascination he felt at the sight of this animal: his specific nickname, vernansproceeds From Latin vernantisIt means “bright,” “blooming,” or “spring.”. It belongs to the Triron genus, which includes the so-called green pigeons, which is a complete genus that includes 30 species of green pigeons. Columbiformis Distributed throughout Asia and Africa, they are brightly colored and eye-catching.

Among pigeons, the rainbow is considered medium-sized. Measures around Its length is 30 cm, and its weight is about 150 gramsThis makes it similar in size to the collared pigeon, and somewhat smaller and lighter than the rock pigeon, both of which are common species in the towns and cities of Spain.

The color of the feathers changes radically between the male and the female, and this is called Sexual dimorphism—. The female has a yellowish chest, throat, and face, and a greenish head, while the male has a striking pink neck and beginning of the chest, an orange lower chest, and a gray head.

In both sexes, The rest of the body shares the color pattern: The back is olive green, and the wings are green and black with a yellow stripe. The belly is yellowish with gray sides, and the tail is gray and chestnut, with a black line ending in the margin. The bill can be bluish-green to gray or white, and the legs are pink or reddish.

Sexual dimorphism, not just in colors

Listening to this animal in the wild, one would expect, by proximity, to hear a cooing similar to the cooing of the rock pigeon to which we are accustomed. However, the sound made by the male rainbow dove is… A three-syllable whistle that ends in a short, harsh coo.

Although this call usually has a reproductive function, it can be heard all year round. This is because They do not have a specific breeding season, but do so at any time.. Each member of the pair plays a notable role in preparing the nest: the male collects materials from the environment to transport to the nesting area, and the female builds the nest, generally at a low elevation.

Once established, the female lays two single eggs They are incubated alternately by the male and female Until hatching. After that, both parents continue to care for the chicks for two weeks, until the young are able to leave the nest. Not much is known about the reproductive habits of the rainbow dove.: Breeding records are limited to a few monitoring references in Singapore.

Where does the rainbow dove live?

To see these amazing animals in their natural habitat, you must travel to Southeast Asia. The distribution of the pink-necked vinago covers a territory Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and the Philippines. Its size is unknown, but it is described as a fairly abundant and commonly observed bird. The population is also considered stable, and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) The species is considered to be in a status of least concern, and the lowest level of current protection. There are no known threats to this species.

Unlike other pigeons, rose-necked vinegar It is not a migratory bird. It lives in tropical and subtropical climates, and is a priority Forest environments, from mangroves to mountain forests. Its maximum height reaches 1200 metres. There are also populations that live in crop fields and other farms, where they can easily find large amounts of food.

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