Nagamalai hills: Partially leucistic Laughing Doves in TN

COIMBATORE: The sightings of the rare partially leucistic Laughing Dove has been documented in the Nagamalai Hillock near Nambiyur in Erode. Laughing Doves typically have black feathers, but the primary and secondary feathers of the partially leucistic Laughing Dove spotted in Nagamalai was white due to leucism.

A genetic condition in birds and animals, leucism is characterised by a reduction or loss of pigmentation, which results in a whitish appearance due to genetic mutations. White tigers and white peacocks are well-known examples of animals with leucism.

"Birds with leucism will have pale or white feathers due to the loss of colour pigments, although their eyes and beak retain their natural colour, resulting in partial leucism. The rare, partially leucistic Laughing Dove found in Nagamalai stands out from those that are pinkish-brown. It is to be noted they are distinct from albinism, an inherited condition characterised by reduced or nil production of melanin pigment,” says M Shajan, a bird enthusiast.

He, along with another bird enthusiast, VR Sundaramanikkam, spotted two partially leucistic Laughing Doves at the hillock on July 5.

Ecologists had previously reported a thriving population of Laughing Doves in the Nagamalai Hills that boast diverse habitats.

“Perhaps this is the first time that partially leucistic Laughing Doves have been sighted in Tamil Nadu. Also, a birding hotspot, the Elathur Lake, is located near Nagamalai,” observes Sundaramanikkam.

Laughing Doves usually inhabit dry, deciduous forest areas with Acacia trees and bushes, feeding on seeds, fruits, and insects. “Notably, species such as Gunther’s Toad and Sankari Brookish Gecko, both endemic to the Eastern Ghats, have also been recorded in Nagamalai. So far, 437 species of flora and fauna – that include 135 birds, 138 plants, 106 insects, 23 arachnids, 17 reptiles, 10 mammals and eight other faunal species – have been documented in the hillock,” says V Deepak of Suzhal Arivom, an environmental organisation.

The Nagamalai Hills have been proposed as a biodiversity heritage site under the Biological Diversity Act 2002.

Ecologists and local communities, too, have sought the Nagamalai ecosystem to be declared a protected area by the government.