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Name

African Green-Pigeon -Treron calvus

Appearance

The African green-pigeon is olive green to yellowish green with yellow thighs. They have a purple patch on top of the wings. The bill is red at the base and white at the tip. Their feet are also red. This green plumage provides a great camouflage in the tops of trees. It is often mistaken for a parrot when climbing around in trees.

African Green-Pigeon Diet

They eat mainly fruit and are particularly fond of figs.

African Green-Pigeon Breeding

The African Green-Pigeon normally breed from May to February in South Africa. The female chooses the place to nest, usually a sloping or a horizontal branch of a leafy tree.

She remains there waiting for the male to supply the nesting materials and then arrange it herself. The nest is a weak platform of coarse twigs and leaves. One to two eggs are laid and incubated by both parents. They are very good parents and never leave the nest alone. The chicks hatch after about 13 days.

African Green-Pigeon Behaviour

They are usually gregarious and found in small groups. African green-pigeons forage in trees, flap their wings to keep their balance and often hang upside down. They have a fast and direct flight pattern.

Habitat

The African green-pigeon prefers woodland, forest, bushveld or savanna and are often seen in fig trees.

Where they are found

In South Africa the African green-pigeon is found in the Northern Province, Mpumalanga and the east coast. They are also found in Zimbabwe, northern and eastern Botswana, northern Namibia and Mozambique.