Negros bleeding-heart pigeon
Also known as: Negros bleeding-heart · punay (generic local name for ground doves)
Definition
The Negros bleeding-heart pigeon (Gallicolumba keayi) is a ground-dwelling dove endemic to the islands of Negros and Panay in the Philippines. Named for the vivid red patch on its white breast, it is critically endangered, with an estimated 50 to 249 mature individuals surviving in severely fragmented lowland forest, and is listed as an EDGE species by the Zoological Society of London.
Identities
| Database | Identifier |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | Negros bleeding-heart pigeon |
| Wikidata | Q585535 |
| DBpedia | N/A |
Also Known As
- Negros bleeding-heart
- punay (generic local name for ground doves)
Examples and Analogies
Among the five Philippine bleeding-heart doves, each island group has its own version, much as different provinces have their own weave of the same textile. The Negros species is distinguished by the vertical red line splitting its breast patch into a heart shape, with crescent marks on each wing, compared with the more rounded splash of the Luzon bleeding-heart.
Usage Scenarios
The species is used as a flagship for West Visayan forest conservation, as the subject of captive-breeding programs on Negros and Panay, and as a bioindicator in surveys of the last primary lowland forests inside the North Negros Natural Park and the Northwest Panay Peninsula Natural Park.
Strategies
Conservation strategy combines protection of remaining lowland forest patches, predator and hunting control, captive breeding and reinforcement of wild populations, and community livelihood alternatives to reduce trapping. Research strategy uses camera traps and call playback to locate remnant groups in logged-over habitat.
Security and Safety Measures
Because the bird is a target of poaching for the illegal wildlife trade, conservationists keep exact locations of surviving populations confidential, enforce protected-area rules against hunters and snare setters, and prosecute trade cases under the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.
Historical Context
The species was described in the late 19th century when Negros and Panay still held extensive lowland forests. A century of sugar land conversion in Negros and logging on both islands reduced it to scattered fragments by the late 20th century, prompting its listing as one of the most threatened birds of the Philippines and the establishment of island conservation centers.
Challenges and Controversies
With a population likely under 250 mature birds, any single event, a fire, a round of trapping, or continued firewood extraction inside fragments, can push local subpopulations to extinction. Debates continue over whether captive-bred birds should be released where habitat protection is imperfect, and over enforcement gaps that allow continued hunting in supposedly protected parks.
Related Topic
Negros