[della]

Hi, Just had to show you my new Bleeding Heart Dove: His name is Excalibur, and he is very shy. Sadly his mate died after hitting her head when she got a fright in the bird store; I have another female on order, but the breeder only has eggs at present. Excalibur keeps calling for a mate in the most amazing mournful manner. He paces constantly in his cage (a normal characteristic of their behaviour) so I had to fill a whole memory card with pix to catch even a few images of his wonderful bleeding heart. (By the time the shutter clicked, he always had his back turned to me). Am working on plans for a new planted aviary so he has a more natural habitat soon. Apparently they like live meal worms, so I'll have to work on his treats too! Isn't he the most beautiful bird created?

 

[wolfwood]

Oh, Della, he's beautiful!! Are they native to Australia?

 

[della]

No, they are native to the Phillipines, this one specifically the island of Luzon. They are an endangered species due to diminishing forest cover, but some breeding pairs were imported to Australia in the 1940's (I think) and we now have a healthy population here in captivity. They are still very hard to come by, but patience pays off! I think they were also imported into the US as well as Europe, and think the situation is much the same in these places. I believe that projects are underway to re-establish colonies of them in their native Phillipines.

 

[wolfwood]

Just beautiful!

 

[Skyeking]

What a gorgeous dove!

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Pegasus]

Yup that's what we have up there by the mountains...I don't see them in the city when I was there...They are more into mountain part of Luzon where there's lots of trees...

 

[spirit wings]

beautiful!

 

[g0ldenb0y55]

Beautiful birds. I remember playing with some as a kid. My uncle had a flock of bleeding hearts back home in the Philippines. It true what Pegasus said about them being up in the mountains, my uncle lives outside of the city in a community at the base of some mountains.

 

[della]

Yup that's what we have up there by the mountains...I don't see them in the city when I was there...They are more into mountain part of Luzon where there's lots of trees...

Ah ha, so my plans for a planted aviary will be welcome; I have put 3 potted plants in his cage to make him feel more 'at home', but will have to get working on the bigger project ASAP!

 

[della]

Beautiful birds. I remember playing with some as a kid. My uncle had a flock of bleeding hearts back home in the Philippines. It true what Pegasus said about them being up in the mountains, my uncle lives outside of the city in a community at the base of some mountains.

My little boy is rather shy at the moment, so I am wondering how they responded to you playing with them as a kid - do they get friendly? I have read that they will learn to eat out of your hands if you have mealworms to tempt them, so I will try that; at present I am just getting him used to me feeding him in his dish each day. How many did your uncle have in his flock? My reading tells me that an adult pair will fight and possibly kill any other adults in their aviary (including their own offspring once they reach adulthood) so a flock sounds like a marvellous thing. How big an area did your uncle keep them in?
(If all these questions tax your memory too much because it was too long ago, just tell me I'm asking the impossible!)

 

[maryjane]

Beautiful!! I hope you find him a mate soon.

 

[della]

Beautiful!! I hope you find him a mate soon.

Yes indeed! He calls for his mate each day - a mournful wooooo...woooooo sound (sounds so much like a ghost that I have contemplated re-naming him 'Caspar'). I have been told to contact the breeder in 2 months time to check on availability, so he will just have to wait I guess.

 

[pigeonkeeper]

wonderful!

 

[Birdsonawing]

Beautiful bird good luck with them