Because of the "dove" in its name, it is mistaken for the protagonist in many idioms.
For example, some people think that the "GuanGuan Ju Dove" in the Book of Poetry refers to the spotted dove, and the "dove occupies the magpie's nest" refers to the spotted dove. Actually, it's all wrong!
Spotted Dove: I don't carry the name of the pot either
The "dove" of "GuanGuan Ju Dove" is a kind of water bird, otherwise how can it be "in the river continent". But the spotted dove is a bird that lives in the woods, and it doesn't go to the river without a problem. Secondly, the "dove" of the "dove occupying the magpie's nest" refers to the cuckoo type, which likes to give birth to their eggs in other nests and let other birds help raise them.
The spotted dove was wrongfully occupied by Nestle, but it was not out of thin air, mainly because the nesting level of the spotted dove was really not flattering, but it lived very well. So people speculated whether it borrowed someone else's nest to raise offspring.
Such a humble nest of spotted doves
So how bad is the nesting technique of the spotted dove? Why is it everywhere? Is the spotted dove poisonous? How should we view the spotted dove? Don't worry, take a look at the dove everywhere, does it really not nest? Why is it said that eating its meat is very harmful?
How bad is the nesting technique of the spotted dove?
It is said that birds are masters of nesting, but in this rank of masters, we must kick the dove out. Oh, and the cuckoo that made the dove carry the black pot also kicked. Although the level of nesting is not the same, the people live in the simple house they built, and they will not do the work of giving eggs to other birds' homes and letting other birds help incubate.
The nesting technique of the spotted dove is really not flattering
Spotted dove nesting does not consider the location, does not consider the material, does not consider the amount of capacity, just find a few branches and weeds, to the tree can be a ride, it can be said that it can be perfunctory can not be perfunctory! When the dove cub, you must have a strong heart, because a gust of wind is blowing, it is likely to be directly cool.
The dove is giving birth to a baby
Spotted doves are a general term for the entire genus Of doves, and they look very similar to pigeons because they are related to each other and belong to the pigeon-shaped dove family. However, there is still a difference between the dove and the pigeon, first of all, the feathers, the feathers of the pigeon have many colors, and the dove is more plain, that is, brown and gray.
Secondly, the feathers on the back of the dove's neck are covered with small spots, which is also the origin of their name, while the pigeons do not have so many small spots. Finally, the pigeon has a wart protrusion on its nose and the dove's mouth is smoother.
Relatives of the spotted dove: pigeons
It is reasonable to say that if the spotted dove builds such a nest, the mortality rate of the offspring will not be very high? But not only did they survive, they became one of the most widely distributed birds in the world. So how do they do it?
Why did the spotted dove become a ubiquitous bird?
In bird nesting, human activities are generally negative, but for spotted doves it is positive. Because human architecture invisibly provides them with a more stable platform to build, such as human flower pots, air conditioners, chimneys and other places, it has also become the favorite nesting point of the dove.
Spotted doves nesting in pots by the windows of residents
Moreover, the breeding ability of the spotted dove is too strong. The dove matures at 6 months of age and can reproduce, 5 to 8 times a year. If food is plentiful, they can have 10 births a year. The dove lays 2 eggs at a time, and the incubation period of the small dove is also very short, only 18 days, and the female and male birds take turns feeding. Such efficient fertility, even if it is a simple house, can support many offspring a year.
Zoologists have found that the frequency of doves is very high, and the purpose of building a simple house is to save time and spend more time on giving birth. And every time the doves breed, they have to change places to prevent their homes from being stolen. In addition, the dove is not picky eaters, eating everything, plant seeds, insects, food, and even human garbage, they can eat it. Eating them like this allows them to survive anywhere.
Fast breeding is not picky, resulting in spotted doves everywhere
The viability of the small spotted dove is also relatively strong among birds, their resistance is very strong, they will not get sick easily, and they can also resist the bites and parasites of some ticks. This is due to the physical fitness of the dove's parents. In this way, a pair of spotted doves give birth to 2 eggs 5 times a year, and if successful, they can add 10 doves a year.
The lifespan of wild doves is about 10 years, except for the first year of growth and the last year of old age, the spotted dove can have 8 years of fertility. According to the minimum fertility efficiency, a pair of spotted doves can give birth to 80 small doves in their lifetime without accident.
Spotted doves and baby babies
Relying on the super reproductive frequency and good habit of not being picky eaters, the spotted dove has successfully survived in most parts of the world and carried the family forward. Supposedly, it is everywhere, and it should be on the human table, such as its relatives pigeons, and a special recipe. But not only has the dove not become a traditional ingredient, but it is also said to be poisonous! So is it really impossible to eat spotted doves?
Pigeon soup
Is the spotted dove poisonous?
Zoologists studied the dove and found that it was not poisonous in itself. It is said to be poisonous, possibly related to an idiom that is" to "drink to quench thirst." Spotted dove said: How is it an idiom again! It's really on the idiom!
The word "dove" in drinking and quenching thirst is more similar to the word "dove" in the spotted dove, and many people may glance at it and confuse the two of them. So the legendary poisonous "duck" became "dove bird". How many people will recognize "drinking dove to quench thirst" at the first sight as "drinking dove to quench thirst"? So the spotted dove, which was already carrying the black pot of the "Dove Occupying the Magpie's Nest", had another pot.
The duck is a poisonous bird in Chinese legend
Another point is that although the spotted dove is not poisonous, it does not mean that it does not have parasites on its body. The dove lives in a hidden and chaotic environment all year round, so it is not easy to be found by predators, so it is inevitable that there are more "small things" on its body. Someone preyed on a dove, became infected with a parasite, and then died. In the past, when medical treatment was not developed, people would think that this was poisoning.
There are also various insects in the dove's diet, and if you eat poisonous insects, the dove cannot expel the toxin, and the toxin will accumulate in the body. If such a dove is eaten, the toxin will be transferred to the person. But given the difference in body size between the spotted dove and humans, these toxins are often not fatal.
Bead-necked dove in foraging
Speaking of which, the "poison" of the dove may be an infection caused by eating wild game, which is rumored to be poisonous. To put it bluntly, it is made by humans themselves, and it is no wonder that the dove is spotted.
Of course, the spotted dove is not the only bird that has been rumored to be poisonous, and the red-crowned crane is also considered poisonous. The ancients believed that the red color on the top of the red-crowned crane's head was poison, and the name of the crane-top red was given by it. But in fact, the crane top red has nothing to do with the red-crowned crane, and the red is actually the baldness of the red-crowned crane, because the skin is exposed to the air, and it becomes red in order to keep warm and engorged. Yes, red-crowned crane bald!
The red-crowned crane is a large wader in the family Heliophoridae, the genus Crane
In nature, the poisonous bird is the black-headed forest partridge, which is poisonous on its skin and feathers, and the toxin and poison dart frog are the same. However, it is not found on the mainland, mainly on the island of New Guinea.
The black-headed forest harrier is one of the birds that can use toxins for self-defense
So what should we think about the dove?
The spotted dove is not the "dove" in the "Guanguan Ju Dove", nor is it the "dove" of the "dove occupying the magpie's nest", nor is it the legendary poisonous bird, and its number is not endangered.
However, the spotted dove is a "three haves" animal, which is forbidden to eat and cannot be caught, because it has its own ecological niche and is a link in the food chain. The spotted dove is the food of many large birds of prey, and it has a certain ability to control insects. Although the nest is sparsely built, it is more cautious in nature, and in most cases it will still choose a more secret place to build a nest.
You can't kill the dove at will
However, the dove is also very adaptable, and it is very good at taking advantage of artificial construction. But for them, it is still the forest that is more suitable. There are only three species of doves, namely the fire dove, the mountain dove, and the bead-necked dove, and they are found in every province of the continent.
Classification of spotted doves
The dove also has an albino species and has become a popular ornamental bird. The artificial breeding technology of spotted doves is also relatively mature, and many places can buy farmed doves. So those who are hungry and want to eat spotted doves, you can try artificially raised doves, wild doves, let them fly freely.