Totot
Mariana fruit dove (Ptilinopus roseicapilla)
Order: Columbiformes
Family: Columbidae
CHamoru Name: Paluman totut
Description: The Totot is a sexually monomorphic dove. They have a pearly gray head, neck, breast, and upper back and the rest of their upper parts bright green. The cap and sometimes shorter malar streak, are rose red. Underparts are variegated with purple transverse bar below breast, orange flanks, yellow belly and pinkish orange under-tail coverts. The tail band is pale gray. Juvenile plumage (rarely seen) is entirely green (Pratt, 1987). Adult females resemble males but are slightly smaller with a greener neck. On females, the purple transverse bar below the breast tends to be less prominent than in males and the yellow belly of females tends to be less bright than in males (Roberts, unpubl. data)
Distribution: The Totot is endemic to the Mariana Islands and is considered common on Saipan, Tinian, Rota, and Aguiguan. The species was extirpated on Guam in the 1980's due to predation by the introduced brown tree-snake (Boiga irregularis) (Wiles et al. 2003). In 1982, the total population of Totot on Saipan, Tinian, Aguiguan, and Rota was reported to be approximately 2,541, 3,075, 292, 3,535 individuals respectively (Enbring et al. 1986). Surveys on Saipan, Tinian, and Aguiguan have been completed since 1982, however, the results of these surveys have not been analyzed.
Habitat: Lives and nests mainly in native primary and secondary forest, although also occupies green patches of domesticated plants on human settlements (Craig 1996). On Guam, Drahos (1977) found totot in ravine and coastal forest with nine records in mangrove swamps. Totot are rarely found in coastal strands dominated by coconut forest or in savannas (Jenkins 1983). On Saipan, Craig (1996) found totot more often in native forest than disturbed habitats. Totot seem to concentrate activities in upper to mid level canopy (Craig 1996).
Food and Feeding Habits: The Totot is primarily a canopy frugivore but feeds on the fruit, leaves, flowers, and seeds of a wide variety of species. Totot have been observed to exhibit agonistic behavior towards conspecifics coming in to feed on fruits (Villagomez 1987). Marshall (1949) observed the following about feeding behavior “fruit doves feed in the upper parts of trees and procure their food by walking along horizontal twigs and reaching up and to the side to pick fruit. Birds generally alight perching crosswise on a twig, then turn and move off along it. When a group starts to feed they appear to become less wary. They will leave the backside of a tree as an observer approaches."
Behavior: Totot are secretive, usually solitary and difficult to see due to the bright green plumage (Jenkins 1983). Fruit doves are highly territorial calling back and forth to each other, the initial song can evoke a chorus of vocalizations by individuals throughout the forest territory.
Breeding: Peak breeding season April –August with nesting probably occurring year round (Jenkins 1983).
Nesting: Builds a very loose nest composed of sticks 4-7 mm in diameter in the forks of tree branches and on mats of vines. Avg. nest height 1-2 m above ground (Claridge 1987). On Guam, fruit doves average nest height was recorded as 2.8m (range 1.0-7.0m). Nests were recorded in Pithecellobium dulce, Triphasia trifolia, Avicennia alba, and Casuarina equisetifolia (Jenkins 1983).
Plant species used for nesting include: Ficus prolixa, Pemphis acidula, Psychotria mariana, Leucaena leucocephala, Cynometra ramiflora, Guamia mariannae, Eugenia palumbris, elaeocarpus, Hibiscus, Premna obtusifolia, Intsia bijuga, Maytenus thompsonii, Mangifera, Pithecellobium, Triphasia, Avicennia, and Casuarina.
Nests have been found in native limestone forest, strand forest or scrub, forest edges, and in mixed farm/forest. Mean estimated canopy closure was 54% (range 10-90%) and estimated forest canopy height was 9.8 m (range 5-30 m) (Stinson 1994).
Eggs, incubation, hatching, growth and development: Usually lays 1 egg but clutches with 2 eggs have been recorded. Sub-elliptical eggs are sub-white to creamy with rose tint. Egg measurements are 21.5 x 29 (n=2) (Claridge 1987). Both male and female incubates egg. Young are fed on a milky substance in the lining of the parent’s crop called “pigeon’s milk”.
Incubation in captivity is 17-18 days, fledging takes 14-18 days (Roberts, unpubl. data)
Reference
Claridge, G. (1987) Nests of Mariana Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus roseicapilla) on Rota, Mariana Islands. Elepaio 47(1): 3-4
Craig, R. J. (1996). Seasonal population surveys and natural history of a Micronesian bird community. The Wilson Bulletin, 246-267.
Drahos, N. (1977). Additions to the avifauna of Guam. Micronesica, 13(1), 45-48.
Engbring, J., Ramsey, F. L., & Wildman, V. J. (1986). Micronesian forest bird survey, 1982: Saipan, Tinian, Agiguan, and Rota. Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior.
Jenkins, J. M. (1983). The native forest birds of Guam (No. 598.2 AME). Washington, D. C: American Ornithologists' Union.
Marshall, J. T. (1949). The endemic avifauna of Saipan, Tinian, Guam and Palau. The Condor, 51(5), 200-221.
Chicago
Pratt, H. D., Bruner, P. L., & Berrett, D. G. (1987). A field guide to the birds of Hawaii and the tropical Pacific (p. 409). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Stinson, D. W. (1994). Birds and mammals recorded from the Mariana Islands. Natural History Research Special Issue, 1, 333-344.
Villagomez, E. C. 1987. Game bird (dove) survey and research. Pp. 37-46 in Commonwealth No. Mariana Is., Div. Fish Wildl. Prog. Ann. Report.
Wiles, G. J., Bart, J., Beck Jr, R. E., & Aguon, C. F. (2003). Impacts of the brown tree snake: patterns of decline and species persistence in Guam's avifauna. Conservation Biology, 17(5), 1350-1360.
Mariana fruit dove (Ptilinopus roseicapilla)
Order: Columbiformes
Family: Columbidae
CHamoru Name: Paluman totut
Description: The Totot is a sexually monomorphic dove. They have a pearly gray head, neck, breast, and upper back and the rest of their upper parts bright green. The cap and sometimes shorter malar streak, are rose red. Underparts are variegated with purple transverse bar below breast, orange flanks, yellow belly and pinkish orange under-tail coverts. The tail band is pale gray. Juvenile plumage (rarely seen) is entirely green (Pratt, 1987). Adult females resemble males but are slightly smaller with a greener neck. On females, the purple transverse bar below the breast tends to be less prominent than in males and the yellow belly of females tends to be less bright than in males (Roberts, unpubl. data)
Distribution: The Totot is endemic to the Mariana Islands and is considered common on Saipan, Tinian, Rota, and Aguiguan. The species was extirpated on Guam in the 1980's due to predation by the introduced brown tree-snake (Boiga irregularis) (Wiles et al. 2003). In 1982, the total population of Totot on Saipan, Tinian, Aguiguan, and Rota was reported to be approximately 2,541, 3,075, 292, 3,535 individuals respectively (Enbring et al. 1986). Surveys on Saipan, Tinian, and Aguiguan have been completed since 1982, however, the results of these surveys have not been analyzed.
Habitat: Lives and nests mainly in native primary and secondary forest, although also occupies green patches of domesticated plants on human settlements (Craig 1996). On Guam, Drahos (1977) found totot in ravine and coastal forest with nine records in mangrove swamps. Totot are rarely found in coastal strands dominated by coconut forest or in savannas (Jenkins 1983). On Saipan, Craig (1996) found totot more often in native forest than disturbed habitats. Totot seem to concentrate activities in upper to mid level canopy (Craig 1996).
Food and Feeding Habits: The Totot is primarily a canopy frugivore but feeds on the fruit, leaves, flowers, and seeds of a wide variety of species. Totot have been observed to exhibit agonistic behavior towards conspecifics coming in to feed on fruits (Villagomez 1987). Marshall (1949) observed the following about feeding behavior “fruit doves feed in the upper parts of trees and procure their food by walking along horizontal twigs and reaching up and to the side to pick fruit. Birds generally alight perching crosswise on a twig, then turn and move off along it. When a group starts to feed they appear to become less wary. They will leave the backside of a tree as an observer approaches."
Behavior: Totot are secretive, usually solitary and difficult to see due to the bright green plumage (Jenkins 1983). Fruit doves are highly territorial calling back and forth to each other, the initial song can evoke a chorus of vocalizations by individuals throughout the forest territory.
Breeding: Peak breeding season April –August with nesting probably occurring year round (Jenkins 1983).
Nesting: Builds a very loose nest composed of sticks 4-7 mm in diameter in the forks of tree branches and on mats of vines. Avg. nest height 1-2 m above ground (Claridge 1987). On Guam, fruit doves average nest height was recorded as 2.8m (range 1.0-7.0m). Nests were recorded in Pithecellobium dulce, Triphasia trifolia, Avicennia alba, and Casuarina equisetifolia (Jenkins 1983).
Plant species used for nesting include: Ficus prolixa, Pemphis acidula, Psychotria mariana, Leucaena leucocephala, Cynometra ramiflora, Guamia mariannae, Eugenia palumbris, elaeocarpus, Hibiscus, Premna obtusifolia, Intsia bijuga, Maytenus thompsonii, Mangifera, Pithecellobium, Triphasia, Avicennia, and Casuarina.
Nests have been found in native limestone forest, strand forest or scrub, forest edges, and in mixed farm/forest. Mean estimated canopy closure was 54% (range 10-90%) and estimated forest canopy height was 9.8 m (range 5-30 m) (Stinson 1994).
Eggs, incubation, hatching, growth and development: Usually lays 1 egg but clutches with 2 eggs have been recorded. Sub-elliptical eggs are sub-white to creamy with rose tint. Egg measurements are 21.5 x 29 (n=2) (Claridge 1987). Both male and female incubates egg. Young are fed on a milky substance in the lining of the parent’s crop called “pigeon’s milk”.
Incubation in captivity is 17-18 days, fledging takes 14-18 days (Roberts, unpubl. data)
Reference
Claridge, G. (1987) Nests of Mariana Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus roseicapilla) on Rota, Mariana Islands. Elepaio 47(1): 3-4
Craig, R. J. (1996). Seasonal population surveys and natural history of a Micronesian bird community. The Wilson Bulletin, 246-267.
Drahos, N. (1977). Additions to the avifauna of Guam. Micronesica, 13(1), 45-48.
Engbring, J., Ramsey, F. L., & Wildman, V. J. (1986). Micronesian forest bird survey, 1982: Saipan, Tinian, Agiguan, and Rota. Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior.
Jenkins, J. M. (1983). The native forest birds of Guam (No. 598.2 AME). Washington, D. C: American Ornithologists' Union.
Marshall, J. T. (1949). The endemic avifauna of Saipan, Tinian, Guam and Palau. The Condor, 51(5), 200-221.
Chicago
Pratt, H. D., Bruner, P. L., & Berrett, D. G. (1987). A field guide to the birds of Hawaii and the tropical Pacific (p. 409). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Stinson, D. W. (1994). Birds and mammals recorded from the Mariana Islands. Natural History Research Special Issue, 1, 333-344.
Villagomez, E. C. 1987. Game bird (dove) survey and research. Pp. 37-46 in Commonwealth No. Mariana Is., Div. Fish Wildl. Prog. Ann. Report.
Wiles, G. J., Bart, J., Beck Jr, R. E., & Aguon, C. F. (2003). Impacts of the brown tree snake: patterns of decline and species persistence in Guam's avifauna. Conservation Biology, 17(5), 1350-1360.
Totot - Kate Beer