Amazing Nicobar Pigeon Dazzles with Its Charming Rainbow Colors Showcasing How Beautiful Nature Is

Birds are one of the most magnificent creatures on earth, offering an exciting and closer look at nature’s raw and unfiltered beauty. Their sparkling colors, charming antics, and musical voices have magic and a lovely aura. Nicobar pigeons are no strangers to these phenomena.

Nature is a canvas where God paints the most exquisite images, and each one of them can deservingly be dubbed a masterpiece. Birds, irrespective of their varying species, have been blessed with the ability to draw our attention and hold us in a trance due to their everlasting charm.

Birds manifest nature’s divine glory with enriching color patterns, a vast display of plumage, and an array of eye-catching characteristics. Today’s feature story is a love letter to the alluring Nicobar pigeons, including facts about these beautiful birds and their ties to the famous Dodo birds.

Their Natural Habitats, Body Structure & Lifespan

A Nicobar pigeon | Source: Shutterstock

The Nicobar pigeons, also known by their scientific name “Caleonas nicobarica,” are native to Southeast Asia and found in lowland forests, mangroves, and islands on the Indian and Western Pacific Oceans.

Sadly, Nicobar is also on the brink of extinction, like its famous relative, and is threatened by the same factors that once contributed to Dodo’s disappearance from the earth.

Their natural habitats include the Nicobar Islands, extending from eastward India to New Guinea, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia. These birds comprise a mane of lovely feathers and shimmering colors in copper and metallic bluish-green reflections.

The male birds stand out because of a tiny black knob at the base of their bill. Their body is almost 16 inches long, and they weigh between one and two pounds. On average, their lifespan varies between eight to 12 years in the wilderness and about 10 to 15 years in human care.

A Nicobar pigeon pictured spreading its wings. | Source: Shutterstock

Feeding & Behavioral Patterns & Conservation Status

The Nicobar pigeons are also referred to as the “vulturine pigeon,” “white-tailed pigeon,” and the “hackled pigeon.” These spectacular pigeons have been blessed with a highly muscular gizzard, which functions as their second stomach and facilitates the grinding of food, such as hard nuts.

These ground-dwelling birds rely on eating corn, fruits, invertebrates, and primarily hard seeds in the wild regions. On the other hand, the ones kept in the zoo can develop an affinity for insects, pigeons and paradise pellets, grains, and berries. They mainly feed on the ground in clusters.

The Nicobar birds are genuinely one-of-a-kind, but they’re at a growing risk of being almost threatened due to many reasons, including hunting, habitat loss, the pet trade, deforestation of wooded regions on the islands, and the introduction of cats and rats to their breeding grounds that jeopardize their survival.

In the wake of the factors mentioned above, the lovely bird species face a serious threat to their existence. They have been listed as “near threatened” by the IUCN, also known as the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Vibrant Plumes, Rainbow Colors & Nesting Grounds

A Nicobar pigeon perched on top of a tree branch. | Source: Shutterstock

Native to the Nicobar Islands, Nicobar birds have long, magnificent plumes, and their sparkling feathers come in a wide range of rainbow shades. You might not notice their magical iridescence in the shade, but the colors glimmer and shine in the sunlight, offering an unbelievable and mesmerizing sight.

The splash of rich colors, including dark gray, green, blue, bronze, and silvery tints of orange and yellow, are visible throughout the length of the feathers covering their bodies. The pigeons comprise long neck feathers, also known as hackles, which enhance their elegance and give them an embellished look.

To steer clear from predators, the Nicobar birds prefer nesting on smaller and comparatively less crowded islands. When searching for food, they fly in large flocks to the mainland regions and bigger islands, drawing strength from their growing numbers.

Courtship, Mating, and Incubation Duties

A Nicobar pigeon sitting in its nest. | Source: Shutterstock

When the breeding season starts, the male Nicobar pigeons graciously court their female counterparts, grabbing their attention with loud, cooing sounds and other adorable actions, such as bowing. Mating may go on for extended periods, with the male birds tasked with choosing the nest sites.

Together, the birds construct their home in the trees, with the male bringing sticks and other required items and the female organizing them to make a nest. Typically, only one egg is laid at a time, which is bluish-white in color and takes nearly two weeks to hatch.

The male and female pigeons take turns during the incubation period, with babies staying in the nest for about four weeks after hatching. The babies or chicks feed on crop milk secreted from the parent’s neck pouch.

Their Close Ties with Dodo Bird

The rainbow-colored, lustrous feathers of a Nicobar pigeon. | Source: Shutterstock

Pigeons are considered the first birds to be domesticated, and according to DNA testing, Nicobar birds have close ties with the famous Dodo that once existed on the face of the world but is now extinct. Interestingly enough, Nicobar pigeons are their nearest living relative.

Like dinosaurs, the three-foot-tall Dodo birds became extinct long ago, but their presence can still be felt today. While Nicobar and Dodos are genetically related, they share no visible similarities in their physical appearance. The flightless Dodo birds had bulbous beaks, stout physiques, and dull gray plumage.

On the contrary, the Nicobar birds have a petite frame, pointed beak, and extravagant plumage. They are deemed one of the most exquisite bird species because of their rainbow colors and compact upper bodies. Moreover, their glossy feathers, shining hackles, and defining white tails magnify their charm.

It is believed that the dazzling Nicobar pigeons developed their rich color palettes due to the lack of natural predators in the smaller wooded regions. Because of their gorgeous features, they stand out from other breeds of pigeons and birds, especially doves, and feel no need to camouflage.

Both Dodo and Nicobar are considered island birds—another trait that signifies their close genetic relationship. Sadly, Nicobar is also on the brink of extinction, like its famous relative, and is threatened by the same factors that once contributed to Dodo’s disappearance from the earth.

The Dodo Bird’s Journey from Discovery to Extinction

A stuffed Dodo bird placed in a museum. | Source: Shutterstock

It may sound appalling and deeply upsetting, but humans played a pivotal role in the Dodo bird’s extinction. The Dodo was an enormous flightless bird that dotted the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean; in fact, it weighed nearly 23 kilograms and was considered larger than a turkey.

Despite having tiny wings, gray-blue feathers, and a big head and beak, it could not fly. Dodos were terrestrial birds, but their hollow bone structure resembled birds that could fly. They preferred nesting on the ground, and like Nicobar pigeons, they laid one egg at a time.

Around 1507, a few Portuguese sailors were said to have discovered the Dodos; less than 200 years later, the species had gone extinct. While they had no natural predators initially, everything changed when human settlers arrived on the island and threatened their survival.

Many sailors who visited the region preferred to eat Dodos as a handy source of fresh meat. They also brought along other animals, such as monkeys, pigs, cats, and dogs, who put the Dodo bird’s existence at stake by eating their eggs and competing with them for food.

Consequently, Dodos found themselves in mayhem and were soon on the losing end; not only were they over-harvested, but the other animals also outnumbered them. After the last Dodo was killed in 1681, the whole species was wiped from the earth, and nobody heard even an echo afterward.

Interesting Facts about the Dodo Birds

The Dodo bird’s remains placed in a museum in Mauritius. | Source: Shutterstock

The Dodo birds have become a story of the bygone era, but that wasn’t always the case. There was a time when humans were familiar with their existence, and they walked the earth just like any other species.

Once a lost flock of pigeons who landed on the island of Mauritius, the birds thrived and evolved into Dodos over a span of hundreds of thousands of years. Many believe that the Dutch settlers first saw the flightless birds when they came to Mauritius in 1598.

The hapless birds lived a calm and carefree life, but everything went awry when humans decimated their population, followed by other predatory animals. Over time, they became flightless, a recurrent factor in bird evolution that left them disadvantaged when seeking shelter and protection.

Thinking that they had no enemies out to get them, Dodos became comfortable with laying a single egg, which hampered their survival in the longer run. In addition to Nicobar pigeons across the Southern Pacific region, the Dodos were also linked to Rodrigues solitaire, found on the Indian Island ocean of Rodrigues.

However, the solitaires ended up facing the same fate as their popular cousins and became extinct over time. Not long after their discovery, the Dodos became known as the “Wallowbird” by the Dutch, and a few Portuguese sailors even called them a penguin because of their small wings.

There are variations as to how the term “Dodo” was coined, with some thinking it was derived from the Dutch word “Dodoor,” which meant sluggard, or the Portuguese word “Doudo,” translating to maniac. The long-gone Dodos were also mentioned in Lewis Carroll’s classic, “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.”

Dodos staged a “Caucus Race” in the story, and many believe the bird represented Caroll himself. Given the few preserved remnants of the Dodo birds, scientists think it might be possible to use DNA fragments for a shot at de-extinction or use Nicobar pigeons to try surrogate parenting.

The Nicobar Pigeon’s Dazzling Effect on the Online Community

A Nicobar pigeon | Source: Shutterstock

The Nicobar birds have a dazzling effect on people and a charm that doesn’t wear off quickly. A Facebook post on the Southeast Asian pigeons gained traction, garnering an overwhelming response from people far and wide. Here are a few comments that they wrote:

“Father God you sure have created many beautiful and unusual birds (sic).”

— (@patricia.jeffs2) September 13, 2022

“What a beautiful Bird. Just look at GOD Creation. Just amazing (sic).”

— (@tikva.morrissey.18) September 13, 2022

“Awesome. Nobody else but God could create such a beauty.”

— (@florence.kande.583) September 13, 2022

“He is gorgeous. Looks like God painted him by sweeping a rainbow over his body. I love it.”

— (@melissa.dunston.125) September 13, 2022

“God is so artistic with his creatures.”

— (@ellen.keliinoi) September 13, 2022

“Omg it’s absolutely stunning. I love all the colours and the birds cute face. Beautiful bird.”

— (@linda.prosser.583) September 13, 2022

“Such a striking bird, all the colours of a rainbow! Nature reveals new treasures everyday!”

— (@nadine.heaphy.5) September 13, 2022

“Wow!! Such a totally gorgeous bird!! So stunning!! Such vibrant colors (sic)!!”

— (@coleen.ayala) September 13, 2022

“ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFULL!! WHAT A MIGHTY we GOD SERVE (sic)!!”

— (@Petro-Jones) September 13, 2022

“So beautiful bird, so wonderful, praise God! Thanks Lord for your very beautiful creation (sic)!”

— (@Ninette-Tabile) September 16, 2022

While we cannot go back in time and observe the Dodo birds, we’re still fortunate to see the Nicobar pigeons and admire their glorious beauty. Although these lovely birds are near threatened, preventive measures can help turn things around.

Nicobar pigeons are one of the finest examples of God’s artistic skills and should be protected and guarded at all costs. If we wish to see them thriving in the times to come, we must ensure we don’t repeat the same mistakes we made with their famous cousins—the Dodo birds.

Although humans have a natural advantage over many animal and bird species, it’s best to develop a conducive environment where everyone can feel safe, happy, and calm. By fostering seeds of friendship and trust, we can create a world where no species feels threatened by the other.

We hope wildlife and relevant authorities can take the necessary steps to prevent the stunning Nicobar pigeons from suffering the same consequences as Dodos and several other extinct species.

Have you ever sighted a dazzling Nicobar bird or plan on doing so in the future? If you enjoyed reading this piece, please share your feedback on Facebook and stay tuned for more exciting content. Click here to read how a Dallas zoo welcomed a much-anticipated hippo after 2.5 hours of labor.

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