Afep Pigeon
Columba unicincta
Silhouette: Steven Traver · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderColumbiformes (Pigeons and Doves)
- FamilyColumbidae (Pigeons and Doves)
- GenusColumba (Typical Old World Pigeons)
- SpeciesColumba unicincta (Afep Pigeon)
About the Afep Pigeon
The afep pigeon (Columba unicincta), also known as the African woodpigeon or grey woodpigeon, is a member of the family Columbidae, native to the African tropical rainforest from Sierra Leone east to Uganda. The afep pigeon was described by the American ornithologist John Cassin in 1860 from a specimen collected in West Africa from the Ogooué River, Gabon. He coined the binomial name Columba unicincta. The specific epithet combines the Latin uni- "one-" and cinctus "banded". The English name "afep" is the word for a pigeon in the Bulu language of Cameroon. The species is monotypic.
Its genetic relationship to other species in the genus has not yet been tested; morphological traits suggest it belongs to the woodpigeon group comprising the common wood pigeon C. palumbus, Bolle's pigeon C. bollii, and Trocaz pigeon C. trocaz.
The afep pigeon is 35–36 cm (13.8–14.2 in) length and weighs between 356–490 g (12.6–17.3 oz). The sexes are similar. It has a pale grey hind neck, pinkish-grey body, and dark grey wings; the tail has a broad white bar and a blackish tip. The throat and belly are white. The eyes and orbital rings are red.
This pigeon has a loud call... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Afep Pigeon in Semuliki National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Semuliki National Park
Western Bronze-naped Pigeon
Columba iriditorques
Rameron Pigeon
Columba arquatrix
White-naped Pigeon
Columba albinucha
African Lemon Dove
Columba larvata
Speckled Pigeon
Columba guinea
Tambourine Dove
Turtur tympanistria
African Green Pigeon
Treron calvus
Red-eyed Dove
Streptopelia semitorquata
Blue-spotted Wood-Dove
Turtur afer
LADO
Spilopelia senegalensis
Black-billed Wood-Dove
Turtur abyssinicus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kibale National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 2 | Semuliki National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 3 | Bwindi Impenetrable National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 4 | Nyungwe National Park | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | |
| 5 | Virunga National Park | 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| 6 | Queen Elizabeth National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 7 | Murchison Falls National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Afep Pigeon in Semuliki National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Afep Pigeon sighting in Semuliki National Park, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Afep Pigeon in Semuliki National Park?
January has the highest sighting rate for Afep Pigeon in Semuliki National Park in our monthly data.