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[[Image:Luzon Bleeding Heart.JPG]]

'''Common Name:''' Luzon Bleeding Heart<br>
'''Scientific Name:''' Gallicolumba luzonica

'''Size:''' 12 inches (30 cm)

'''Habitat:''' Asia; the Philippines. The species is endemic to the central and southern parts of the large island of Luzon, and the neighboring small Polillo Islands, in the Philippines.

It lives in primary or secondary forests, and can be found at altitudes varying from sea level up to 1400 meters. 

'''Status:''' Near Threatened. '''Global Population:''' Unknown amount of mature individuals. There is no data on population trends; however, it is suspected the species is in moderately rapid decline, owing to habitat loss, degradation, and hunting.  Local people use it for meat, but its striking appearance means that there is also a market for it in the pet trade. A captive breeding project has been started in Australia.

'''Diet:''' Seeds, berries and grubs. It forages on the ground, searching the leaf-litter for seeds, fallen fruits and invertebrates.

'''Breeding:''' On its upper surfaces, the Luzon Bleeding-heart is slate grey in color, but because it is iridescent, it can appear to be purple, royal blue, or bottle-green, with the apparent color varying with lighting conditions. The belly and under wing areas are buff or chestnut. As in most pigeons, there is little sexual dimorphism; males tend to be larger and have a more pronounced red patch, and some authorities claim that the female has a purplish iris, though others dispute this. Body shape is typical of the genus, with a round body, a short tail and long legs.

They usually lay two eggs in each clutch.

'''Cool Facts:''' They get their name from a splash of vivid red color at the center of their white breasts. The Luzon Bleeding-heart is the species in which this feature is most pronounced, and on first sight it is hard to believe that the bird has not recently been wounded. A reddish hue that extends down the belly furthers the illusion of blood having run down the bird's front.


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