Gallicolumba platenae
The Mindoro Bleeding-heart (Gallicolumba platenae) is a strikingly beautiful and critically endangered ground-dove, endemic to the island of Mindoro in the Philippines. Measuring approximately 25 to 30 cm (9.8 to 11.8 in) in length, it is characterized by its stocky build and soft plumage. Its most distinctive field mark, and the origin of its evocative name, is a vivid, blood-red to orange patch on its pure white breast, creating the illusion of a deep wound. The head is a delicate gray, fad...
This highly specialized dove inhabits primary and mature secondary lowland rainforests, typically found at elevations ranging from sea-level up to 700 meters, though historically it may have occurred higher. It primarily prefers dense undergrowth and undisturbed forest floor.
Its diet primarily consists of small seeds, fallen berries, and small invertebrates such as insects and worms, which it gleans by scratching through forest leaf litter.
The Mindoro Bleeding-heart is a remarkably shy and terrestrial species, spending the majority of its time foraging silently on the forest floor, typically active during daylight hours. It moves deliberately, scratching through deep leaf litter with its feet to uncover food items, often observed s...
The Mindoro Bleeding-heart is strictly endemic to Mindoro Island in the Philippines, with its historical range encompassing lowland and mid-montane forests across the island. Today, its distribution is severely fragmented and drastically reduced, confined to only a few small, isolated forest patc...
Critically Endangered
- The Mindoro Bleeding-heart is one of four distinct "bleeding-heart" dove species endemic to the Philippines, each named for its unique island home (Luzon, Mindanao, Negros, and Mindoro). - Its common name directly refers to the striking, blood-red to orange patch on its white breast, giving the...