Factfile
Where they live
Luzon and Polillo in the Philippines
Habitat
Lowland forests
Size
30 cm
Weight
180 g
Lifespan
Up to 15 years in the wild
Threats
Habitat loss, deforestation, illegal poaching, bushmeat, illegal pet trade
Did you know...
- Their scientific name ‘Gallicolumba’ means ‘chicken dove’. This is because they look like a chicken when foraging for food.
- The reason for their name is because of the red markings prominent on the front of the breast which resembles a bleeding heart.
- There are five species of bleeding heart birds.
More about bleeding heart doves...
Found on islands of the Philippines, bleeding hearts are omnivorous, feeding on food from the forest floor. This includes berries, seeds, and various insects.
These birds mate for life in captive surroundings. Nesting, which is the only things they use trees for, occurs in mid-May. Males will attract females with courtship displays, where the male will inflate his breast which shows off his bleeding mark whilst chasing the female around and cooing. Both parents will take turns incubating the two eggs laid for seventeen days. The chicks will leave the nest after 10-14 days, but the parents will feed them for up to a month. Sexual maturity is reached at around 18 months.
