Blue pigeon: Difference between revisions

Blue pigeon
	Seychelles blue pigeon
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Columbiformes
Family:	Columbidae
Subfamily:	Treroninae
Genus:	Alectroenas; G.R. Gray, 1840
Species
	see text

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The blue pigeons are a genus, Alectroenas, of birds in the dove and pigeon family Columbidae. They are native to islands in the western Indian Ocean.

Taxonomy and evolution

The genus Alectroenas was first described in 1840 by the English zoologist George Robert Gray with the Mauritius blue pigeon (Alectroenas nitidissimus) as the type species.^[1]^[2] The genus name combines the Ancient Greek alektruōn, meaning "domestic cock", and oinas, meaning "pigeon".^[3]

The Alectroenas blue pigeons are closely interrelated and occur widely throughout islands in the western Indian Ocean. They are allopatric and can therefore be regarded as a superspecies.^[4] There are three extant species: the Madagascar blue pigeon, the Comoros blue pigeon, and the Seychelles blue pigeon.^[5] The three Mascarene islands were home to one species each, which are all extinct; the Mauritius blue pigeon, the Rodrigues blue pigeon, and the Réunion blue pigeon.^[6] The blue pigeons perhaps colonised the Mascarenes, the Seychelles or a now submerged hot spot island by "island hopping" and evolved into a distinct genus there before reaching Madagascar.^[7] Their closest genetic relative is the cloven-feathered dove, Drepanoptila holosericea, of New Caledonia, which they separated from 8–9 million years ago.^[8] Their ancestral group appears to be the fruit doves (Ptilinopus) of Southeast Asia and Oceania.^[9]

The genus contains five extant or recently extinct species:^[10]

† Mauritius blue pigeon (Alectroenas nitidissimus) extinct
Madagascar blue pigeon (Alectroenas madagascariensis)
Comoros blue pigeon (Alectroenas sganzini)
Seychelles blue pigeon (Alectroenas pulcherrimus)
† Providence blue pigeon (Alectroenas sp.) extinct

Species possibly in the genus

Two species that became extinct in prehistoric times may have belonged to this genus:

† Rodrigues blue pigeon (Alectroenas payandeei)
† Réunion blue pigeon (Alectroenas sp.)

The Rodrigues pigeon (Nesoenas rodericana), now extinct, was once assigned to the genus Alectroenas, but this is now believed to be erroneous. In reality, it probably belongs to an undescribed genus, as the sternum's shape is very dissimilar in its details to that of Alectroenas or Columba, and indeed to any other living genus of pigeons and doves. It is most similar to that of the Gallicolumba ground doves or to a miniature version of the sternum of a Ducula imperial pigeon.

The Réunion blue pigeon is known from the description of a slaty-blue feathered pigeon on Réunion, given by Dubois in 1674.

Dubois' description is as follows:
"...wild pigeons, everywhere full with them, some with slaty-coloured feathering, the others russet-red. They are a little larger than the European pigeons, and have larger bills, red at the end close to the head, the eyes ringed with the colour of fire, like pheasants. There is a season when they are so fat that one can no longer see their cloaca. They are very good tasting. Wood-pigeons and turtle-doves, as one sees in Europe and as good."

Dubois mentions "wild pigeons, everywhere full with them, some with slaty-coloured feathering" which likely refences the Réunion blue pigeon.^[11] Since the Réunion blue pigeon was only mentioned by Dubois, little is known about its extinction. The Réunion blue pigeon likely survived after 1683 and maybe even until 1703. Jean Feuilley mentioned that all native pigeons were extinct in 1705. It is possible that invasive species such as cats and rats could have caused their extinction.

Description

Compared to other pigeons, the blue pigeons are medium to large, stocky, and have comparatively long wings and tails. They all have distinct mobile hackles on the head and neck. The tibiotarsus is comparatively long and the tarsometatarsus is short.^[12]

References

^ Gray, George Robert (1840). A List of the Genera of Birds : with an Indication of the Typical Species of Each Genus. London: R. and J.E. Taylor. p. 58.
^ Peters, James Lee, ed. (1937). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 3. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 40.
^ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 41. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
^ Goodwin, D. 1983, Pigeons and Doves of the World, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York.
^ Shelley, G. E. (1883). "On the Columbidae of the Ethiopian Region". Ibis. 5th series. 1 (3): 258–331. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1883.tb07172.x.
^ Hume, J. P.; Walters, M. (2012). Extinct Birds. London: A & C Black. pp. 134–136. ISBN 978-1-4081-5725-1.
^ Cheke, A. S.; Hume, J. P. (2008). Lost Land of the Dodo: an Ecological History of Mauritius, Réunion & Rodrigues. New Haven and London: T. & A. D. Poyser. pp. 22–115. ISBN 978-0-7136-6544-4.
^ Pereira, S. L.; Johnson, K. P.; Clayton, D. H.; Baker, A. J. (2007). "Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences support a Cretaceous origin of Columbiformes and a dispersal-driven radiation in the Paleogene". Systematic Biology. 56 (4): 656–672. doi:10.1080/10635150701549672. PMID 17661233.
^ Shapiro, B.; Sibthorpe, D.; Rambaut, A.; Austin, J.; Wragg, G. M.; Bininda-Emonds, O. R. P.; Lee, P. L. M.; Cooper, A. (2002). "Flight of the Dodo" (PDF). Science. 295 (5560): 1683. doi:10.1126/science.295.5560.1683. PMID 11872833. Supplementary information (HTML abstract) Free PDF Archived 2006-09-25 at the Wayback Machine Supplementary information
^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (2020). "Pigeons". IOC World Bird List Version 10.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
^ Anthony S. Cheke & Julian Hume (2008). Lost Land of the Dodo: an Ecological History of Mauritius, Réunion & Rodrigues. T. & A. D. Poyser. ISBN 978-0-7136-6544-4.
^ Hume, J.P. (2011). "Systematics, morphology, and ecology of pigeons and doves (Aves: Columbidae) of the Mascarene Islands, with three new species". Zootaxa. 3124 (1): 1–62. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3124.1.1. First page

External links

Blue pigeons at African Bird Club

[1] Gray, George Robert (1840). A List of the Genera of Birds : with an Indication of the Typical Species of Each Genus. London: R. and J.E. Taylor. p. 58.

[2] Peters, James Lee, ed. (1937). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 3. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 40.

[3] Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 41. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.

[4] Goodwin, D. 1983, Pigeons and Doves of the World, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York.

[5] Shelley, G. E. (1883). "On the Columbidae of the Ethiopian Region". Ibis. 5th series. 1 (3): 258–331. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1883.tb07172.x.

[Extinct_Birds-6] Hume, J. P.; Walters, M. (2012). Extinct Birds. London: A & C Black. pp. 134–136. ISBN 978-1-4081-5725-1.

[Lost_Land_p22-7] Cheke, A. S.; Hume, J. P. (2008). Lost Land of the Dodo: an Ecological History of Mauritius, Réunion & Rodrigues. New Haven and London: T. & A. D. Poyser. pp. 22–115. ISBN 978-0-7136-6544-4.

[8] Pereira, S. L.; Johnson, K. P.; Clayton, D. H.; Baker, A. J. (2007). "Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences support a Cretaceous origin of Columbiformes and a dispersal-driven radiation in the Paleogene". Systematic Biology. 56 (4): 656–672. doi:10.1080/10635150701549672. PMID 17661233.

[Shapiro_2002-9] Shapiro, B.; Sibthorpe, D.; Rambaut, A.; Austin, J.; Wragg, G. M.; Bininda-Emonds, O. R. P.; Lee, P. L. M.; Cooper, A. (2002). "Flight of the Dodo" (PDF). Science. 295 (5560): 1683. doi:10.1126/science.295.5560.1683. PMID 11872833. Supplementary information (HTML abstract) Free PDF Archived 2006-09-25 at the Wayback Machine Supplementary information

[ioc-10] Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (2020). "Pigeons". IOC World Bird List Version 10.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 11 March 2020.

[Lost_Land-11] Anthony S. Cheke & Julian Hume (2008). Lost Land of the Dodo: an Ecological History of Mauritius, Réunion & Rodrigues. T. & A. D. Poyser. ISBN 978-0-7136-6544-4.

[Mascarene_Pigeons-12] Hume, J.P. (2011). "Systematics, morphology, and ecology of pigeons and doves (Aves: Columbidae) of the Mascarene Islands, with three new species". Zootaxa. 3124 (1): 1–62. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3124.1.1. First page

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Genus of birds}}
-{{lead too short|date=September 2012}}
 {{automatic taxobox
 | name = Blue pigeon
@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 }}
-The '''blue pigeons''' are a [[genus]] '''''Alectroenas''''' of birds in the dove and pigeon family [[Columbidae]].
+The '''blue pigeons''' are a [[genus]], '''''Alectroenas''''', of birds in the dove and pigeon family [[Columbidae]]. They are native to islands in the western [[Indian Ocean]].
+==Taxonomy and evolution==
-The genus contains four extant or recently extinct species:<ref name=ioc>{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela Rasmussen | year=2020 | title=Pigeons | work=IOC World Bird List Version 10.1 | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/pigeons/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | accessdate=11 March 2020 }}</ref>
+The genus ''Alectroenas'' was first described in 1840 by the English zoologist [[George Robert Gray]] with the [[Mauritius blue pigeon]] (''Alectroenas nitidissimus'') as the [[type species]].<ref>{{ cite book | last=Gray | first=George Robert | author-link=George Robert Gray | year=1840 | title=A List of the Genera of Birds : with an Indication of the Typical Species of Each Genus | place=London | publisher=R. and J.E. Taylor | page=58 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13668975 }}</ref><ref>{{ cite book | editor-last=Peters | editor-first=James Lee | editor-link=James L. Peters | year=1937 | title=Check-List of Birds of the World | volume=3 | publisher=Harvard University Press | place=Cambridge, Massachusetts  | page=40 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14477755 }}</ref> The genus name combines the [[Ancient Greek]] ''alektruōn'', meaning "domestic cock", and ''oinas'', meaning "pigeon".<ref>{{cite book | last=Jobling | first=James A. | year=2010| title=The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names | publisher=Christopher Helm | location=London | isbn=978-1-4081-2501-4 | page=41 }}</ref>
-* † [[Mauritius blue pigeon]] (''Alectroenas nitidissimus'')[[Extinction|extinct]]
-* [[Madagascan blue pigeon]] (''Alectroenas madagascariensis'')
+The ''Alectroenas'' blue pigeons are closely interrelated and occur widely throughout islands in the western [[Indian Ocean]]. They are [[allopatric]] and can therefore be regarded as a [[superspecies]].<ref>Goodwin, D. 1983, Pigeons and Doves of the World, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York.</ref> There are three extant species: the [[Madagascar blue pigeon]], the [[Comoros blue pigeon]], and the Seychelles blue pigeon.<ref>{{cite journal | last = Shelley | first = G. E.| year = 1883| title = On the Columbidae of the Ethiopian Region| journal = Ibis| series=5th series | volume = 1 | issue = 3| pages = 258–331 | doi = 10.1111/j.1474-919X.1883.tb07172.x | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/16243063 }}</ref> The three [[Mascarene]] islands were home to one species each, which are all extinct; the Mauritius blue pigeon, the [[Rodrigues blue pigeon]], and the Réunion blue pigeon.<ref name="Extinct Birds">{{cite book | last1 = Hume | first1 = J. P. | first2 = M. | last2 = Walters |year= 2012 |title=Extinct Birds |publisher= A & C Black |location= London |pages= 134–136 |isbn=978-1-4081-5725-1}}</ref>
+The blue pigeons perhaps colonised the Mascarenes, the [[Seychelles]] or a now submerged [[hot spot island]] by "island hopping" and evolved into a distinct genus there before reaching [[Madagascar]].<ref name="Lost Land p22">{{cite book |last1=Cheke |first1=A. S. |first2=J. P. |last2=Hume |year=2008 |title=Lost Land of the Dodo: an Ecological History of Mauritius, Réunion & Rodrigues |pages=22–115 |publisher=T. & A. D. Poyser |location=New Haven and London |isbn=978-0-7136-6544-4}}</ref> Their closest [[genetics|genetic]] relative is the [[cloven-feathered dove]], ''Drepanoptila holosericea'', of [[New Caledonia]], which they separated from 8–9 million years ago.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Pereira | first1 = S. L. | last2 = Johnson | first2 = K. P. | last3 = Clayton | first3 = D. H. | last4 = Baker | first4 = A. J. | year = 2007 | title = Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences support a Cretaceous origin of Columbiformes and a dispersal-driven radiation in the Paleogene | journal = Systematic Biology | volume = 56 | issue = 4 | pages = 656–672 | doi = 10.1080/10635150701549672 | pmid = 17661233 | doi-access=free }}</ref> Their ancestral group appears to be the [[fruit doves]] (''[[Ptilinopus]]'') of [[Southeast Asia]] and [[Oceania]].<ref name="Shapiro 2002">{{cite journal |last1=Shapiro |first1=B. |last2=Sibthorpe |first2=D. |last3=Rambaut |first3=A. |last4=Austin |first4=J. |last5=Wragg |first5=G. M. |last6=Bininda-Emonds |first6=O. R. P. |last7=Lee |first7=P. L. M. |last8=Cooper |first8=A. |date=2002 |title=Flight of the Dodo |journal=Science |volume=295 |issue=5560 |pages=1683 |url=http://pgl.soe.ucsc.edu/dodo_Shapiro02.pdf |doi=10.1126/science.295.5560.1683 |pmid=11872833 }} [http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/295/5560/1683/DC1 Supplementary information] (HTML abstract) [http://evolve.zoo.ox.ac.uk/papers/Shapiro+et+al+%282002%29+Science.pdf Free PDF] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060925071455/http://evolve.zoo.ox.ac.uk/papers/Shapiro+et+al+%282002%29+Science.pdf |date=2006-09-25 }} [https://web.archive.org/web/20031229082732/http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/295/5560/1683/DC1 Supplementary information]</ref>
+The genus contains five extant or recently extinct species:<ref name=ioc>{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela Rasmussen | year=2020 | title=Pigeons | work=IOC World Bird List Version 10.1 | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/pigeons/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | accessdate=11 March 2020 }}</ref>
+* † [[Mauritius blue pigeon]] (''Alectroenas nitidissimus'') [[Extinction|extinct]]
+* [[Madagascar blue pigeon]] (''Alectroenas madagascariensis'')
 * [[Comoros blue pigeon]] (''Alectroenas sganzini'')
 * [[Seychelles blue pigeon]] (''Alectroenas pulcherrimus'')
+* † [[Providence blue pigeon]] (''Alectroenas'' sp.) [[Extinction|extinct]]
+===Species possibly in the genus===
-Two extinct species may have belonged to this genus:
+Two species that became extinct in prehistoric times may have belonged to this genus:
 * † [[Rodrigues blue pigeon]] (''Alectroenas payandeei'')
 * † Réunion blue pigeon (''Alectroenas'' sp.)
+The [[Rodrigues pigeon]] (''Nesoenas rodericana''), now extinct, was once assigned to the genus ''Alectroenas'', but this is now believed to be erroneous. In reality, it probably belongs to an undescribed genus, as the sternum's shape is very dissimilar in its details to that of ''Alectroenas'' or ''Columba'', and indeed to any other living genus of pigeons and doves. It is most similar to that of the ''[[Gallicolumba]]'' ground doves or to a miniature version of the sternum of a ''[[Ducula]]'' imperial pigeon.
-==Taxonomy and evolution==
-The genus ''Alectroenas'' was introduced in 1840 by the English zoologist [[George Robert Gray]] with the [[Mauritius blue pigeon]] (''Alectroenas nitidissimus'') as the [[type species]].<ref>{{ cite book | last=Gray | first=George Robert | author-link=George Robert Gray | year=1840 | title=A List of the Genera of Birds : with an Indication of the Typical Species of Each Genus | place=London | publisher=R. and J.E. Taylor | page=58 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13668975 }}</ref><ref>{{ cite book | editor-last=Peters | editor-first=James Lee | editor-link=James L. Peters | year=1937 | title=Check-list of Birds of the World | volume=Volume 3 | publisher=Harvard University Press | place=Cambridge, Massachusetts  | page=40 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14477755 }}</ref> The genus name combines the [[Ancient Greek]] ''alektruōn'' meaning "domestic cock" and ''oinas'' meaning "pigeon".<ref>{{cite book | last=Jobling | first=James A. | year=2010| title=The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names | publisher=Christopher Helm | location=London | isbn=978-1-4081-2501-4 | page=41 }}</ref>
-The ''Alectroenas'' blue pigeons are closely interrelated and occur widely throughout islands in the western [[Indian Ocean]]. They are [[allopatric]] and can therefore be regarded as a [[superspecies]].<ref>Goodwin, D. 1983, Pigeons and Doves of the World, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York.</ref> There are three extant species; the [[Madagascan blue pigeon]], the [[Comoros blue pigeon]], and the Seychelles blue pigeon.<ref>{{cite journal| doi = 10.1111/j.1474-919X.1883.tb07172.x| last = Shelley | first = G. E.| year = 1883| month = | title = On the Columbidae of the Ethiopian Region| journal = Ibis| volume = 25| issue = 3| pages = 258–331| pmid = | pmc = | ref = harv
-}}</ref> The three [[Mascarene]] islands were home to one species each, which are all extinct; the Mauritius blue pigeon, the [[Rodrigues blue pigeon]], and the Réunion blue pigeon.<ref name="Extinct Birds">{{cite book
-| last1 = Hume
-| first1 = J. P.
-| first2 = M.
-| last2 = Walters
-|year= 2012
-|title= Extinct Birds
-|publisher= A & C Black
-|location= London
-|pages= 134–136
-|isbn=978-1-4081-5725-1}}</ref> Compared to other pigeons, the blue pigeons are medium to large, stocky, have comparatively long wings and tails. They all have distinct mobile [[hackles]] on the head and neck. The [[tibiotarsus]] is comparatively long and the [[tarsometatarsus]] short.<ref name="Mascarene Pigeons">{{aut|Hume, J.P.}} 2011: Systematics, morphology, and ecology of pigeons and doves (Aves: Columbidae) of the Mascarene Islands, with three new species. {{ISSN|1175-5326}} ''Zootaxa'', '''3124''': 1-62. [http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2011/f/z03124p062f.pdf Preview] {{ISBN|978-1-86977-825-5}}</ref>
-The blue pigeons perhaps colonised the Mascarenes, the [[Seychelles]] or a now submerged [[hot spot island]] by "island hopping" and evolved into a distinct genus there before reaching [[Madagascar]].<ref name="Lost Land">{{cite book
-| last1 = Cheke
-| first1 = A. S.
-| first2 = J. P.
-| last2 = Hume
-| year = 2008
-| title = Lost Land of the Dodo: an Ecological History of Mauritius, Réunion & Rodrigues
-| pages = 22–115
-| publisher = T. & A. D. Poyser
-| location = New Haven and London
-| isbn = 978-0-7136-6544-4}}</ref> Their closest [[genetics|genetic]] relative is the [[cloven-feathered dove]], ''Drepanoptila holosericea'', of [[New Caledonia]], which they separated from 8–9 million years ago.<ref>{{cite journal
-| doi = 10.1080/10635150701549672
-| last1 = Pereira | first1 = S. L.
-| last2 = Johnson | first2 = K. P.
-| last3 = Clayton | first3 = D. H.
-| last4 = Baker | first4 = A. J.
-| year = 2007
-| title = Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences support a Cretaceous origin of Columbiformes and a dispersal-driven radiation in the Paleogene
-| journal = Systematic Biology
-| volume = 56
-| issue = 4
-| pages = 656–672
-| jstor =
-| pmid = 17661233
-| pmc =
-| ref = {{sfnRef|Pereira et al.|2007}}
+The Réunion blue pigeon is known from the description of a slaty-blue feathered pigeon on [[Réunion]], given by [[Sieur Dubois|Dubois]] in 1674.
-}}</ref> Their ancestral group appears to be the [[fruit doves]] (''[[Ptilinopus]]'') of [[Southeast Asia]] and [[Oceania]].<ref name="Shapiro 2002">{{cite journal
+{{blockquote | Dubois' description is as follows:
- |doi=10.1126/science.295.5560.1683
+<blockquote>"...wild pigeons, everywhere full with them, some with slaty-coloured feathering, the others russet-red. They are a little larger than the European pigeons, and have larger bills, red at the end close to the head, the eyes ringed with the colour of fire, like pheasants. There is a season when they are so fat that one can no longer see their cloaca. They are very good tasting. Wood-pigeons and turtle-doves, as one sees in Europe and as good."</blockquote>}} Dubois mentions "wild pigeons, everywhere full with them, some with slaty-coloured feathering" which likely refences the Réunion blue pigeon.<ref name="Lost Land">{{cite book |author=Anthony S. Cheke |author2=Julian Hume |name-list-style=amp |year=2008 |title=Lost Land of the Dodo: an Ecological History of Mauritius, Réunion & Rodrigues |publisher=T. & A. D. Poyser |isbn=978-0-7136-6544-4}}</ref> Since the Réunion blue pigeon was only mentioned by Dubois, little is known about its extinction. The Réunion blue pigeon likely survived after 1683 and maybe even until 1703. [[Jean Feuilley]] mentioned that all native pigeons were extinct in 1705. It is possible that invasive species such as cats and rats could have caused their extinction.
- |last1=Shapiro
- |first1=B.
- |last2=Sibthorpe
- |first2=D.
- |last3=Rambaut
- |first3=A.
- |last4=Austin
- |first4=J.
- |last5=Wragg
- |first5=G. M.
- |last6=Bininda-Emonds
- |first6=O. R. P.
- |last7=Lee
- |first7=P. L. M.
- |last8=Cooper
- |first8=A.
- |date=2002
- |title=Flight of the Dodo
- |journal=Science
- |volume=295
- |issue=5560
- |pages=1683
- |jstor=
- |pmid=11872833
- |pmc=
- |url=http://pgl.soe.ucsc.edu/dodo_Shapiro02.pdf
- |ref={{sfnRef|Shapiro et al.|2002}}
- }} [http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/295/5560/1683/DC1 Supplementary information] (HTML abstract) [http://evolve.zoo.ox.ac.uk/papers/Shapiro+et+al+%282002%29+Science.pdf Free PDF] [https://web.archive.org/web/20031229082732/http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/295/5560/1683/DC1 Supplementary information]</ref>
+==Description==
-The [[Rodrigues pigeon]] (''Nesoenas rodericana''), now extinct, was once assigned to the genus ''Alectroenas'', but this was erroneous. In reality, it probably belongs to an undescribed genus, as the sternum's shape is very dissimilar in its details to that of ''Alectroenas'' or ''Columba'', and indeed to any other living genus of pigeons and doves. It is most similar to that of the ''[[Gallicolumba]]'' ground doves or to a miniature version of the sternum of a ''[[Ducula]]'' imperial pigeon.
+Compared to other pigeons, the blue pigeons are medium to large, stocky, and have comparatively long wings and tails. They all have distinct mobile [[hackles]] on the head and neck. The [[tibiotarsus]] is comparatively long and the [[tarsometatarsus]] is short.<ref name="Mascarene Pigeons">{{ cite journal | last=Hume | first=J.P. | year=2011 | title=Systematics, morphology, and ecology of pigeons and doves (Aves: Columbidae) of the Mascarene Islands, with three new species | journal=Zootaxa | volume=3124 | issue=1 | pages=1–62 | doi=10.11646/zootaxa.3124.1.1 }} [http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2011/f/z03124p062f.pdf First page ]</ref>
 ==References==
@@ Line 103: / Line 45: @@
 ==External links==
-*[http://www.africanbirdclub.org/feature/bluepig.html Blue pigeons at African Bird Club.]
+*[http://www.africanbirdclub.org/feature/bluepig.html Blue pigeons at African Bird Club]
+{{Columbimorphae Genera|C.|state=collapsed}}
 {{Taxonbar|from=Q620213}}
 [[Category:Alectroenas|*]]
+[[Category:Taxa named by George Robert Gray]]
 [[Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot]]