National Aviary welcomes Luzon bleeding-heart dove chick just in time for Valentine's Day
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The National Aviary is welcoming a Luzon bleeding-heart dove chick to their flock, just in time for Valentine's Day.
"These sweet birds get their name from the unique chest plumage that resembles a bleeding heart," the National Aviary said in a Facebook post.
The birds live in the aviary's tropical rainforest habitat. In the wild, they're found throughout primary and secondary forests with well-developed understory in the Philippines. Their call is described as a "mournful coo."
According to the National Aviary, Luzon bleeding-hearts lay two eggs with an incubation period of 17 days, and the babies fledge at 12 days.
The species is generally considered rare or scarce and is considered to be near threatened because it's vulnerable to habitat destruction and hunting, the National Aviary says.
The aviary is also taking Valentine's Day to talk about its other love birds, like the red-billed hornbill, made famous by Zazu in "The Lion King." To protect her future hatchlings, the red-billed hornbill seals herself into her nest cavity with a unique cement-like substance, the aviary says. While she's shut in, her male partner brings food to his family and passes it through a tiny hole in the cavity.
The aviary's red-horned bill pair Monty and Maple can be seen in the wetlands habitat.
And don't forget Galentine's Day. On Tuesday, the aviary shared a photo of its Andean condor ladies Marijo and Illimani snuggling during the most recent snowfall.
