Memorandum to:         The Director of Birds Australia

 

From:                          Birds Australia Rarities Committee (BARC)

 

Date:                            12th January 2007

 

Voting Members:         Mike Carter                   Andrew Silcocks

                                    Rohan Clarke                 Glenn Holmes

                                    John Hatch                    Jamie Matthew

                                    Tony Palliser                 Danny Rogers

                       

Cc.                               Ron Johnstone, David James & Ian McAllan                    

 

 

Submission No 472: Red Collared-Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica on Christmas Island, 30th December 2005 – 1st January 2006. Submitted by: Frank O’Connor, Sheryl Keates & Arthur Keates.

 

 

Verdict: Accepted

 

 

This submission relates to a Red Collared-Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica located in a mixed fruit plantation near the centre of the island on the 30th December 2005.  Apparently it had been reported up to 4 weeks earlier by a local resident (namely Kim Chey).

 

Observations were difficult but persistence by the observers ascertained the following features (as quoted from the submission):

 

·          Approximately the size of a Laughing Turtle-Dove (S. senegalensis) perhaps slightly smaller

·          Shape and jizz of the Turtle-dove genus Streptopelia

·          Dull grey head

·          Reddish back

·          Black line on hind neck

·          White tips on tail

·          Dark primary tips

·          Underparts pink, less intense than reddish back

·          Apparent dark bill and eyes

 

 

Although a first for Australia without photographic evidence, four observers saw it and there are no confusion species (Island Collared-Dove Streptopelia bitorquata is too large and morphologically distinct). This resulted in a unanimous vote of acceptance by committee members.

 

Red Collared-Dove ranges from “Pakistan and India south to Madras and Mysore, through the Himalayan foothills to southern Tibet, south-east Qinghai, Gansu and Inner Mongolia across to Shandong, south to Taiwan, Hainan, Andaman Islands, the Philippines (Luzon, Calayan, Lubang, Mindoro, Batan), and South-East Asia as far south of the isthmus of Kra. Passage migrants and vagrants occur in Oman, Iran, Afghanistan, Russia (eastern Siberia), north China (south Heilongjiang), southern Japan and Sri Lanka. Probably a recent introduction to the Palu Valley, central Sulawesi, and to Java. Common to abundant throughout the main part of its range although in many places perhaps only seasonally.” (Gibbs et al. 2001).

 

Although this species is kept in captivity and has established feral populations on Singapore, Java and Sulawesi. It is known to make unaided long-distance movements. Captive birds are not permitted on Christmas Island. The possibility exists that the bird could have been ship assisted, but as the species has not colonised urban areas, it is much more likely that the bird came unaided to Christmas Island.

 

 

Selected Bibliography:           

 

·         Christidis, L. & Boles, W. E., (1994), The Taxonomy and Species of Birds of Australia and its Territories, RAOU Monograph 2, Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union, Melbourne.

·         Coates, B.J., Bishop, K.D. & Gardner, D., (1997), A Guide to the Birds of Wallacea, Dove, Alderley, Queensland.

·         Gibbs, D., Barnes, E. & Cox, J. (2001), Pigeons and Doves, A Guide to Pigeons and Doves of the World, Pica Press, Sussex, UK

·         HANZAB. Higgins, P.J. & Davies, S.J.J.F. (Eds), (1996), Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds, Vol. 3, Snipe to Pigeons, Oxford, Melbourne.  

·         Simpson & Day (1999), Field Guide to the Birds of Australia, Penguin, Melbourne.

·         Strange, M. (2000), A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Southeast Asia, Periplus Editions, Hong Kong.

 

 

 

 

Tony Palliser

Chairman, Birds Australia Rarities Committee