The Nicobar Pigeon is listed in the Red Book of Vietnam and the world. It is a bird with a beautiful appearance, rare, and holds both scientific and aesthetic value.
Nicobar Pigeons Only Exist in Con Dao
On November 3, while patrolling the forest protection route on Bay Canh Island – Con Dao National Park, the park’s forest rangers discovered the Nicobar Pigeon.
Mr. Le Hong Son, Head of the Conservation and International Cooperation Department of Con Dao National Park, stated that this is a rare bird species both in Vietnam and globally, valued for its scientific and aesthetic significance. However, there has not been much research on this bird, except for a previous baseline survey.
The Nicobar Pigeon is a rare species listed in the Red Book of Vietnam and the world.
To protect and conserve this bird species, Con Dao National Park has developed specific plans for implementation, including activities to enhance protection, monitoring research, and raising public awareness to join in the conservation of this beautiful and rare bird.
Con Dao National Park will increase patrols and inspections in areas where Nicobar Pigeons are found; enforce strict regulations prohibiting the destruction of habitat conditions and promptly intervene in any actions or activities by organizations or individuals that affect the habitat of the birds and other wildlife; impose severe penalties for bird hunting, egg collection, etc.
In Vietnam, this species only appears in Con Dao and is being protected and developed by Con Dao National Park. The Nicobar Pigeon belongs to the family Columbidae, order Columbiformes, genus Caloenas, and species Caloenas nicobarica. In Vietnam, it is also known by other names such as: collar pigeon, white-tailed pigeon, and vulture pigeon.
When fully grown, this pigeon species measures about 34 cm in length, with plumage that has a beautiful metallic green mixed with bronze. The long neck feathers form a ruffled layer (similar to a rooster).
The tertiary, secondary, and primary wing feathers are slightly black with iridescent blue-purple, particularly prominent on the tertiary feathers. The bird has a very short tail with white feathers, hidden beneath the wings and mostly visible only in flight. The feathers on the underside of the bird’s belly are completely glossy black.
This bird species is easily recognizable by its head, which has a small black bump located at the base of its hook-shaped black beak (near the forehead). This bump is usually larger in males.
The rare beauty of the Nicobar Pigeon.
The eye iris is a dark brown color (ranging from dark gray to light gray), with a black inner membrane. The strong and large legs are a dark gray-red color with long light yellow claws.
When not fully grown, the chicks of this species have glossy black feathers. As the young birds prepare to leave the nest, their plumage becomes shiny like that of adults, except that the tail feathers may have some black and the legs are slightly brown.
The Nicobar Pigeon forages on the ground in relatively flat areas with plenty of fallen leaves. They search for food by pushing leaves aside and using their beaks to dig. Their diet mainly consists of wild fruits, especially very hard seeds, and some ground-dwelling invertebrates. This species is often seen foraging alone, but occasionally in pairs or small groups.
Very Difficult to Breed
In Con Dao, this bird species is mainly concentrated on Bay Canh Island. Through information gathering and documentation, Nicobar Pigeons are distributed in areas such as Ben Dam and Radar.
This rare pigeon species is a testament to the ongoing development of the population in the wild. Notably, in 2009, Mr. Pham Thanh Dung, Head of Scientific Management at Con Dao National Park, successfully bred the rare Nicobar Pigeon – Caloenas nicobarica. Mr. Dung managed to raise a chick caught from the wild to adulthood, which then laid eggs. However, these eggs did not hatch for unknown reasons. Subsequently, all Nicobar Pigeons raised by him were released back into the wild.
To date, Con Dao National Park has recorded the presence of Nicobar Pigeons in the wild again. The park will promote environmental education, enhance community awareness locally, especially among students, military personnel, fishermen, and visiting tourists, to understand the importance of conservation and development of the Nicobar Pigeon.
In particular, Con Dao National Park plans to collaborate with organizing units to establish eco-tourism routes such as the Bay Canh Ranger Station – Lighthouse route, introducing visitors to the harmonious combination of forest flora and fauna, thus promoting and fostering a connection between people and nature, enhancing the collective responsibility for biodiversity conservation.
