Meet the Zoo: Blackberry the Fledgling Fruit Dove

At the , it is sometimes not the that grab your attention.  A tiny white egg laid by a beautiful black-naped fruit dove recently had keepers and volunteers monitoring the exhibit daily, exchanging reports as everyone awaited the hatching this past winter. 

Mama dove, Papaya, laid the egg in a food pan in her exhibit – an odd but secure location in the Animals in Art area of the zoo.  Both parents took turns sitting on the egg patiently.  Keepers noted the exact date the egg was laid and the days were counted to set a potential hatch date.  Everyone was on the alert.

A member of the expansive pigeon and dove family, these fruit doves are known for their beautiful plumage.  Many birds of this group have gone extinct but the black-naped fruit dove is lucky to be plentiful in its native Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.  

On Jan. 22, the call went out – the egg hatched.  Now the concern was for the survival of the tiny chick; pink, featherless, and chirping for food as it sat in the stainless steel food pan.  But the parents gave everyone no need for worry.

They took turns sitting with the tiny chick – especially dad, Guava, feeding it and keeping it warm. (And of course, the temperature in the exhibit is monitored carefully to make sure everyone is nice and toasty.)  Quickly, the little chick started maturing.  One morning, keepers observed little patches of colored feathers growing in.  And suddenly, it was no longer naked and awkward – it looked like a tiny green jewel.  Its eyes were bright and it was able to sit up and look out of the food pan at the rest of its world. 

Then the guessing game began – was it a boy or a girl?  Male black-naped fruit doves have soft grey heads with a black marking down their neck – hence the name “black-naped” – and golden yellow and fuchsia pink under tail feathers.  Females are completely green.  Once again, keepers and volunteers discussed and observed on a daily basis – was the chick’s head turning just slightly pale?  Then the tell tale black feathers on the top of the head made their appearance and we knew – it was a boy!

The fruit doves have laid another egg so Prospect Park Zoo staff are on the watch for a sibling for little “Blackberry.“   They have already picked out the next name – but you will have to wait to find out what it is.