Pli Lee shared this photo of the colourful carcass on Facebook.
KUCHING (Oct 20): The carcass of a rare jambu fruit dove was found near a shopping mall here recently.
Facebook user ‘Pli Lee’ shared the sad discovery on the ‘Kuching – Then and Now’ page.
Based on the photo, it would appear that the bird had just died when its carcass was discovered.
“The jambu fruit dove is a rare species which is uncommon and one of those species that many birdwatchers would want to check off on their bird list,” Bob Zakaria, a regional specific tourist guide, told The Borneo Post today.
He said the dove is classified as a near threatened species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and its death is a concern of what could happen when the home range of a species is reduced or lost through deforestation.
“This is among the examples of what could happen when birds have to fly through the cityscape and along buildings which are not fitted with features that will prevent birds from crashing into them,” he added.
Commenters on the Facebook post suggested the dead dove was a male due to the noticeable crimson colouring on its face.
According to Facebook user Clement Chai Joon Min, females of the species are yellowish green and the birds can normally be seen in pairs.
Other commenters expressed sympathy for the dove and shared their theories on how it could have died.
An internet search found that the jambu fruit dove (Ptilinopus jambu) is a species native to Southeast Asia in countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia.
It typically inhabits lowland and hill forests, where it can find its preferred fruit-bearing trees.
Known for its soft, cooing calls, this bird can be observed foraging for fruits and socialising with other doves.
The breeding season for jambu fruit doves varies by location, but it is usually during the rainy season where they can be seen building flimsy nests in trees.
These birds lay one or two eggs per clutch.