White-throated ground dove | |
---|---|
male | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Columbiformes |
Family: | Columbidae |
Genus: | Gallicolumba |
Species: | G. xanthonura |
Binomial name | |
Gallicolumba xanthonura (Temminck, 1823) |
The white-throated ground dove (Gallicolumba xanthonura) or paluman apaka in Chamorro is a species of ground dove in the genus Gallicolumba. Their distribution is on the Northern Mariana Islands inhabiting the native forests. It has become extirpated from Guam (to USA) by predation from the introduced brown tree snake Boiga irregularis. Single birds do turn up once every few years but are most likely individuals dispersing from the island of Rota. The birds are shy and tend to keep well hidden.
This species averages 26 cm (10 in) in length and weighs 58.5–140 g (2.06–4.94 oz). The male white-throated ground dove has a chocolate brown body with white head and breast while the females are shade of brown with no white on the body.