Mauritius Blue-pigeon vs Afep Pigeon

Alectroenas nitidissimus compared with Columba unicincta

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Mauritius Blue-pigeon Afep Pigeon
Scientific Name Alectroenas nitidissimus Columba unicincta
Order Columbiformes Columbiformes
Family Columbidae Columbidae
Conservation Status Extinct Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 42.2 cm (16.6 in)
Weight 195.21 g (6.89 oz) 401.5 g (14.16 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size -- 1
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Mauritius Blue-pigeon only

None

Afep Pigeon only

None

Song & Call Comparison

Mauritius Blue-pigeon

Afep Pigeon

Song

Deep, resonant cooing; rich notes with carrying quality through dense humid African forest. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.

Conservation Status

Extinct

Mauritius Blue-pigeon

Least Concern

Afep Pigeon

How to Tell Them Apart

Mauritius Blue-pigeon

Afep Pigeon

Plumage

Afep Pigeon: pale gray; white neck gloss; dark flight feathers; large size; Central African rainforest pigeon; pale overall

About These Birds

Mauritius Blue-pigeon

Mauritius Blue-pigeon (Alectroenas nitidissimus). Extinct. Last recorded in 1826. Approximately 35 cm; brilliant cobalt-blue with a red wattle and bare facial skin. Inhabited forests of Mauritius, Indian Ocean. Frugivore. Driven to extinction by hunting, deforestation and introduced predators following European colonisation.

Afep Pigeon

Afep Pigeon (Columba unicincta) — 36–40 cm. Large; dark grey; single narrow black ring on hindneck; pale grey rump. Inhabits canopy of rainforest in West and Central Africa. Frugivore; feeds on forest fruits. Poorly known; an upper-canopy species seldom studied at close range.

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family