The Rapa fruit dove (Ptilinopus huttoni) is a species of bird in the family Columbidae, which includes pigeons and doves. It is endemic to the island of Rapa Iti in French Polynesia. The species was classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List in 2018 because of its small population and predicted continued decline. The Rapa fruit dove primarily feeds on fleshy fruit. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and it has an extent of 30 km2. It is threatened by habitat loss due to deforestation and invasive species. Effective land protection and management could increase the quality of habitat for the species. Additional research into population dynamics and the impact of threats to the species can give a better understanding of the conservation practices needed.
A frugivore is an animal that thrives mostly on raw fruits or succulent fruit-like produce of plants such as roots, shoots, nuts, and seeds. Approx...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Oviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe Rapa fruit dove lives in the remaining undisturbed forest fragments on the island and prefers an elevation between 40 – 450 meters. Rapa Iti has a tropical climate and the dove can be found in the moist lowland forests. They prefer the most wooded areas but can occasionally be found in the Caribbean pine plantations.
As indicated by their name, the Rapa fruit dove primarily feeds on fleshy fruit from the various trees on the island, as well as nectar from some flowers. There are many productive native berry trees on Rapa Iti to sustain the dove. While the strawberry guava is an invasive species and a cause for habitat decline, it is possible that it is also a source of food for the dove. They eat while perched in the tree and pick or reach for the fruit. Since they are heavier than some other fruit doves, the Rapa fruit dove does not move out to the end of the branches, and instead must perform many contortions to reach the fruit.
