In Delhi, the bird we see most is the Blue Rock Pigeon. Its shy cousins that doesn’t show itself off much is the Hariyal, or the Yellow-footed Green-Pigeon ( Treron phoenicopterus ). The scientific name explains both its behaviour and physical attributes. The genus Treron is derived from the Greek word meaning pigeon or dove, and can also mean shy or timid. The word phoenicopterus is from the Greek word phoinikopteros, literally translating to red-feathered but mostlyreferring to the lilac patch on the shoulder. So the name can translate to mean a shy pigeon with a lilac patch on the shoulder!
This pigeon is a stout bird, 33 cm in length, greenish-yellow in colour, with blackish wings edged with yellow. It has a small lilac patch on the shoulder. The iris is blue with an outer circle of pink. The bill is soft and swollen at the base and greenish. The sexes are similar, although the females might seem slightly duller in comparison.
The Yellow-footed Green Pigeon is very sluggish, often sunning itself on the top of an emergent tree in the early morning, feeding on wild figs. It is almost entirely arboreal, not usually seen on the ground, with strong feet adapted for climbing. It moves about the branches much like parakeets, and is frugivorous – fruit-eating. It loves figs from the banyan and peepal trees, both common in Delhi-NCR. Since it so closely resembles leaves in colour, it’s easy for an entire flock to be on a tree without anyone noticing. The time you’ll notice them is when they take off together, their wings making a distinctive winnowing whistle as the pigeon takes flight.
Nesting time is usually from March to June. It makes and conceals a flimsy platform nest in the foliage of fruiting trees.
Though it’s a difficult bird to catch, its song is recognisable: a rich low-pitched musical whistle which sounds like "Wheet-wa-hoo" and "hoo-hoo".
The next time you hear it, look to the nearest Peepal or Banyan. There’s a good chance you’ll catch a glimpse of this beautiful bird.
The writer is the founder of NINOX - Owl About Nature, a nature-awareness initiative. He is the Delhi-NCR reviewer for Ebird, a Cornell University initiative, monitoring rare sightings of birds. He formerly led a programme of WWF India.
