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Blue-headed Quail-dove

Starnoenas cyanocephala

Published on Project Noah
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22.1667, -81.1363

Field Notes

Description:

This kind of dove is considered endemic to Cuba, and unfortunately in the list of endangered species, I found a good number of then in Cueva de los Peces close to Playa Larga , ( bay of pigs ) They feed on fruits , seeds and insects. The locals,call it Camā a word in tanio language (a dead language)
The cinnamon color give them a great camouflage specially when they are in the shade,

Habitat:

Evergreen and semi-deciduous forest

Notes:

After 24 trips to Cuba I finally found them, the problem was time, I have been looking for then at Bermejas , another great place to see them, but I was not lucky.
Somehow, several of them, get accustomed to people by feeding on rice that come out of the pipes from the kitchen of a restaurant at Cueva de Los Peces.

Reference Links:

Blue-headed quail-dove - Wikipedia, Starnoenas cyanocephala (Blue-headed Quail-dove, Blue-headed Quail-Dove)

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (12)
AntónioGinjaGinja
Absolutly beautiful capture Jonathan,congrats on the well deserved SOTD and thanks for sharing
DanielePralong
Congratulations on your persistence on finding this rare and special bird Jonathan, it has earned you a Spotting of the Day: "It has taken tour guide and naturalist Jonathan Sequeira no fewer than 24 trips to Cuba to find this remarkable Blue-headed Quail-dove (Starnoenas cyanocephala), our Spotting of the Day! This bird, which can be noted for its bright blue crown and cinnamon-brown body, is endemic to the island. Once common and widespread, it is now very rare and has been classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. The only representative of the genus Starnoenas, it appears to be unlike any other New World Columbidae and would seem to be more closely related to some Australasian pigeon genera". Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/projectnoah/photos/a.10150595289465603.674700.10150120463815603/10159778542875603/?type=3&theater Twitter: https://twitter.com/projectnoah/status/942894972696657920
Jonathan Sequeira
Thanks you all for the comments, very inspiring on bringing more contributions to the project.
Robert Emond
Great capture! Excellent mix of shade, sun, and color. What a beautiful bird to boost.
Leuba Ridgway
Amazing looking bird. So pleased that you got to see it at last and could share this beauty with us, Jonathan. Thanks. I hope they survive well in the wild. Great camouflage.
AshleyT
Your spotting has been nominated for the Spotting of the Week. The winner will be chosen by the Project Noah Rangers based on a combination of factors including: uniqueness of the shot, status of the organism (for example, rare or endangered), quality of the information provided in the habitat and description sections. There is a subjective element, of course; the spotting with the highest number of Ranger votes is chosen. Congratulations on being nominated!

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PublishedDecember 10, 2017

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