Speckled wood pigeon

The speckled wood pigeon (Columba hodgsonii), also known as Hodgson's pigeon or the jungle pigeon, is a medium-sized pigeon of the bird family Columbidae and genus Columba. It is a monotypic species. It measures 38–40 cm (15–15.5 in) in length, with males featuring a pale gray head and females having a grayish-brown head. Males have a distinctive pinkish-silver breast speckled with black spots and a maroon belly, while females exhibit less vibrant coloration. Both sexes have blackish-brown tails and primaries, iris color differs slightly. The species is distributed across the Himalayas extending from Kashmir to western and central China, as well as parts of India, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, and Afghanistan. Inhabiting evergreen and semi-evergreen hill forests at elevations of 1,800–4,000 meters (5,900–13,100 ft), descend in winter based on food availability. Diet consists mainly of acorns, berries, and fruits, typically foraging in small flocks. Breeding occurs from May to August, with nests situated 3–8 meters (9.8–26.2 ft) above ground.

General Characteristics: Size of the Speckled wood pigeon is usually 38–40 cm (15–15.5 in) for adults. Adult male has a pale gray head, while female's head is grayish-brown, juvenile resembles the female but browner and paler than female. Adult male has a pinkish-silver breast and side of neck area, speckled with black spots, each feather on the breast area has a silver base, dark central streak, and the tip is silvery-pink. Hindneck feathers have black or purplish-black bases with silver tips, creating a speckled appearance. Female neck and breast color in less vibrant tones compared to male.

Plumage: Mantle and wing-coverts of male is dark reddish-purple/burgundy/maroon on the upper part, turning into bluish-gray on the outer wing-coverts. Upper mantle has silver flecks, and white spots on inner and median wing-coverts. In female, scapulars and mantle lack of maroon coloration and replaced with slaty dark brown. Speckles on the juvenile is indistinct.

Tail and primaries black/blackish-brown in both male and female, underwing and undertail is blackish.

Belly/abdomen is maroon/dark-reddish purple with pinkish-white streaks in male, each feather with white fringes and is purplish. Females have dark brownish gray underparts without maroon coloration.

Legs are brownish yellow-greenish in adults. Bright yellow claws.

Beak transitions from blueish-purple at the base to black at the tips.

Iris white-gray in males, gray-brown tinges in female as well, juvenile paler iris colors compared to adults.