Bird of Today: Jambu Fruit Dove 9/27/24

Bird of today, the Jambu Fruit Dove. Another member of the Columbidae family, commonly distributed in southern Thailand and along the Malay Peninsula, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesian islands such as Java, Kalimantan and Sumatra. The Temoq people of Pahang believe that the female Jambu Fruit dove is a form of their creator and ancestor Maq Sidi. It is placed in the genus Ptilinopus along with nearly 60 other Fruit Doves. They are recognized by their forest green upperparts, ivory neck and underparts, a very prominent reddish purple face and chin, and a dusted purple patch on their chests.

Jambu Fruit doves are mainly found in lowland rain forests and mangrove swamps, feeding almost exclusively on fruit produced by rain forest trees, and the occasional fallen items dropped by monkeys or other birds. Like other birds of Columbiformes, the Jambu Fruit Dove has the rare ability to drink water without the use of gravity, as they can siphon or swallow liquids.

Despite being mostly aboreal, the Jambu Fruit Dove's behaviors are typical to most other pigeons. bowing and cooing to get the attention of a mate, building flimsy nests of twigs, grasses and roots, and being a generally inconspicuous and meek bird.



Jambu Fruit Dove feeding!