Birds of New Zealand: the New Zealand Pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae)
Because New Zealand has been physically isolated from other land masses for a very long time - some 90 million years - it has developed unique biota (plants and animals) found nowhere else in the world. These are called endemic species. The native forest of New Zealand contain a wide variety of endemic plant species, but when it comes to endemic animals, they are not so obvious, except for the birds.
New Zealand has an interesting and very unique bird population. We have already talked about the Kiwi, which is New Zealand's endemic bird par excellence, but there are many others. One of these is the New Zealand pigeon. It looks like an ordinary pigeon (in size and in the way it flies and moves), but has distinctive colours: shiny green-purple plumage on the head, throat, back and wings, and a white breast with red eyes, feet and bill. It eats fruits and is found all over New Zealand. It was once very abundant, but its numbers have been declining since the possum and several species of rats have been introduced to the islands. These compete with the pigeons for fruits and prey on their eggs and nestlings.
Birds of New Zealand: the New Zealand Pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae)
Because New Zealand has been physically isolated from other land masses for a very long time - some 90 million years - it has developed unique biota (plants and animals) found nowhere else in the world. These are called endemic species. The native forest of New Zealand contain a wide variety of endemic plant species, but when it comes to endemic animals, they are not so obvious, except for the birds.
New Zealand has an interesting and very unique bird population. We have already talked about the Kiwi, which is New Zealand's endemic bird par excellence, but there are many others. One of these is the New Zealand pigeon. It looks like an ordinary pigeon (in size and in the way it flies and moves), but has distinctive colours: shiny green-purple plumage on the head, throat, back and wings, and a white breast with red eyes, feet and bill. It eats fruits and is found all over New Zealand. It was once very abundant, but its numbers have been declining since the possum and several species of rats have been introduced to the islands. These compete with the pigeons for fruits and prey on their eggs and nestlings.