Trocaz Pigeon Columba trocaz Heineken, 1829

Description
The also called Long-toed Pigeon is an endemic species of Madeira, it once existed in Porto Santo but nowadays is restricted to Madeira Island.
It is a dark grey corpulent pigeon with big red toes, an indistinct glossy silvery patch on neck-side, a visible white strike on the tail and red bill. The female is a little smaller than the male but it is not easy to distinguish them.

Distribution
The Trocaz Pigeon it is usually seen early in the morning in Laurel Forest areas and in some adjacent agricultural lands, where it looks for cabbages.

Habitat
The Laurel Forest on Madeira contains almost all of the Trocaz Pigeon's natural food resources and it is essential to the survival of the species. Its habitat is threatened by fires and pigeons are affected by shooting and predation by rats.

Breeding
This Madeira species builds its nest in small and discreet caves on the rocks or sometimes in trees but these are more vulnerable to rain and wind damages. During all year the female lays one single egg or sometimes two, both parents brood it and take care of the chick when it borne. The population of the Trocaz Pigeon is considered stable and estimated at 7,000 individuals.

Some background
The Trocaz Pigeon (Columba trocaz), an endemic bird of Madeira that lives on the northern slopes of mountains and in some secluded places of the southern coast of the island, and which is characteristic of the Laurel forest, was first described in 1829 by Heineken.

In the past, the also known as Long-toed Pigeon was highly affected by the destruction of its habitat. Today this species isn't endangered anymore, because all Laurel areas have been considered Integral or Partial Nature Reserves thanks to the jurisdiction of the Madeira Natural Park.

Although this species appears associated to the Laurel forest because it feeds from the berries of the big laurel trees and the leaves and flowers of other small plants, the Long-toed Pigeon is frequently observed in the cultivated lands near the forest, where it seeks food and usually damages crops, especially cabbages.

For this reason the Trocaz Pigeon became unpopular and was hunted by the population. In 1984 and 1985, the authorities were pressured into authorizing the hunting of this species due to the damage they had made on the cabbage patches. This went on until 1989, but since then the species has gained a strict protection status.

During the decades in which these birds where victims of poisoning and killing, the population size was drastically reduced, and some authors say that in 1982 there were only 500 birds and in 1985 they were around 1000. After hunting was considered illegal, the first census with a complete and specific methodology was done in 1986 and from the results it was concluded that there were about 2700 birds. After that, this type of study continued and was done regularly every four years. According to the 1995 census, the population consisted of about 10400 birds, in 1999 more than 8400 and in 2003 only 7000 birds.

Even though the hunting and poisoning of these birds has been considered illegal, and the population has become relatively numerous, it is still subject to a conservation program, for its eggs and nestlings are still constantly threatened by rats.

Madeiran name: Pombo Trocaz
Madeira Archipelago resident breeder
Social: Flocks
Length: 39 cm
Status: Vulnerable/localized

Also known as:
Long-toed Pigeon (ENG)
Madeira Laurel Pigeon (ENG)
Silberhalstaube (GER)
Madeirataube (GER)
Pigeon Trocaz (FRA)
Madeiraduva (SWE)
La Paloma de Madeira (ESP)
Colomba di Madeira (ITA)
Trocazduif (NED)
Madeiradue (DAN)

Recommend Tours to watch this species:
Madeira full-day birdwatching tour
Madeira nature fauna & flora tour