Birds · Columbiformes · Columbidae

Bolle's Pigeon

Columba bollii

Near Threatened

It could become endangered in the near future if current threats go unchecked. See full glossary

Bolle's pigeon is the more strictly forest-dwelling of the two pigeons endemic to the Canary Islands: it lives inside the densest, dampest laurel forest and is far harder to see than the laurel pigeon. It is told apart by the dark band on its tail and by the greenish and purplish sheen of its neck. It feeds on the fruits of the laurel-forest trees and is likewise an essential disperser of their seeds. Its population is concentrated on La Palma, La Gomera, Tenerife and El Hierro.

Weight

300 g – 400 g

Size

36 cm – 38 cm

Lifespan

12 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

In pairs

Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.

Sighting difficulty

Moderate

Temperate forestMountainIslandsHerbivore Diurnal In pairs Near Threatened Bird Temperate forest Mountain Islands

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Fun facts

It is so unobtrusive and so tied to the forest interior that for decades it was thought far rarer than it really is: surveys using call playback and cameras have revealed larger populations than had been estimated.
Its scientific name, bollii, honours the German naturalist Carl Bolle, who described it in the nineteenth century during his travels in the Canary Islands.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Interior of the dense, humid laurel forest of the western Canary Islands
Sexual maturity: 12 months
Gestation / incubation: 18 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 1 egg

Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/