Columbidae / Họ Bồ câu

General names

The following is based on my analysis of dictionaries and other sources. Comments and corrections are welcome.

Apart from the domesticated pigeon (Rock Pigeon), a variety of wild pigeons and doves is found in Vietnam and the language is relatively rich in names for them.

The domesticated pigeon is usually known as Bồ câu or Chim câu.

Cu is a term used for pigeons in general. (In some Central dialects this is reduplicated as Cu cu, which in standard usage refers to cuckoos.) Cu may be used in combination with other names (for examples, see below).

Gầm ghì or Cu gầm ghì is used for Cuckoo Doves and Imperial Doves.

Chim chàng vịt is also given in dictionaries for 'pigeon' or 'dove'.

Turtle Doves have a number of individual names:

The Oriental Turtle Dove (Streptopelia orientalis) is known as the Sen, Cu sen, Cu đất ('ground pigeon'), or Cu cu đất ('ground pigeon', dialect).

The Spotted-necked Dove (Streptopelia chinensis) is known as the Chim gáy, Cu gáy, Cu gấm ('spotted pigeon'), or Cu cườm ('beaded pigeon').

The Red Turtle Dove (Streptopelia tranquebarica) is known as the Chim ngói, Cu ngói, or Cu lửa ('flame pigeon', dialect).

Naturalists assign names to columbid genera as follows:

Vietnamese name	Genera
Bồ câu	Pale-capped Pigeon (Columba punicea) Nicobar Pigeon (Caloenas)
Gầm ghì	Rock Dove (Columba livia) Cuckoo Doves (Macropygia) Imperial Pigeons (Ducula)
Cu	Turtle Doves (Streptopelia) Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps)
Cu xanh 'green cu'	Green Pigeons (Treron)

Despite the familiar use of Bồ câu to refer to the Rock Dove, and the fact that Bồ câu gives its name to the family, it is somewhat surprising that naturalists use the name Bồ câu for Columba punicea but not for Columba livia (Rock Dove).

The carrier pigeon is known in Vietnamese as: Bồ câu đưa thư ('deliver message pigeon').

Species names

COLUMBINAE SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN VIETNAMESE EAST ASIAN S. E. ASIAN Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese Chinese (Taiwan) Japanese Thai Columba               Columba livia Rock dove or Common pigeon Feral rock pigeon Rock pigeon Feral pigeon Pigeon biset Gầm ghì đá 'rock gam ghi' Bồ câu 'bo cau' Chim câu 'cau bird' 原鸽 yuán gē 'primitive/original pigeon' 野鴿 yuán gē 'wild pigeon' (introduced) カワラバト (河原鳩) kawara-bato 'dry riverbed pigeon' นกพิราบป่า Columba punicea Pale-capped pigeon Purple wood pigeon Pigeon marron Bồ câu nâu 'brown bo cau'   紫林鸽 zǐ lín-gē 'purple forest pigeon'   ムラサキモリバト (紫森鳩) murasaki mori-bato 'purple forest pigeon' นกลุมพูแดง Streptopelia               Streptopelia orientalis Oriental turtle dove Oriental turtle-dove Eastern turtle dove Rufous turtle-dove Tourterelle orientale Cu sen 'sen pigeon' Sen 'sen' Cu đất 'ground pigeon' Cu cu đất 'ground pigeon' 山斑鸠 shān bān-jiū 'mountain striped pigeon' 金背鳩 jīn-bèi jiū 'golden-backed pigeon' キジバト (雉鳩) kiji-bato 'pheasant pigeon' นกเขาพม่า Streptopelia tranquebarica Oenopopelia tranquebarica Red turtle dove Red collared-dove Red collared dove Red-collared dove Red turtle-dove Tourterelle à tête grise Cu ngói 'ngoi pigeon' Chim ngói 'ngoi bird' Cu lửa 'flame pigeon' (North) 火斑鸠 huǒ bān-jiū 'fire striped dove' 紅鳩 hóng jiū 'red dove' ベニバト (紅鳩) beni-bato 'red pigeon' นกเขาไฟ Streptopelia chinensis Spotted-necked dove Spotted dove Spot-necked dove Spotted turtle dove Tourterelle tigrine Cu gáy 'gay (warbling, calling?) pigeon' Chim gáy 'gay bird' Cu gấm 'spotted pigeon' Cu cườm 'beaded pigeon' 珠颈斑鸠 zhū-jǐng bān-jiū 'bead-necked striped dove' 珠頸斑鳩 zhū-jǐng bān-jiū 'bead-necked striped dove' 斑頸鳩 bān-jǐng jiū 'striped/spotted necked dove' (former official name) カノコバト (鹿の子鳩) kanoko-bato 'fawn pigeon' (named after fawn-like spots) นกเขาใหญ่ or นกเขาหลวง Macropygia               Macropygia unchall Barred cuckoo-dove Bar-tailed cuckoo dove Phasianelle onchall Gầm ghì vằn 'speckled/streaked gam ghi'   斑尾鹃鸠 bān-wěi juān-jiū 'stripe-tailed cuckoo dove' 斑尾鵑鳩 bān-wěi juān-jiū 'stripe-tailed cuckoo dove' ヨコジマオナガバト (横縞尾長鳩) yoko-jima o-naga bato 'horizontal stripe long-tailed pigeon' นกเขาลายใหญ่ Macropygia ruficeps Little cuckoo-dove Little cuckoo dove Lesser cuckoo dove Lesser red cuckoo dove Phasianelle à tête rousse Gầm ghì đầu hung 'reddish-headed gam ghi'   小鹃鸠 xiǎo juān-jiū 'small cuckoo dove' (2) 棕头鹃鸠 zōng-tóu juān-jiū 'reddish-brown-headed cuckoo dove' (1, 3) 小赤鹃鸠 xiǎo chì juān-jiū 'small red cuckoo dove' (4) 棕头小鹃鸠 zōng-tóu xiǎo juān-jiū 'reddish-brown-headed small cuckoo dove' (5)   ヒメオナガバト (姫尾長鳩) hime o-naga bato 'princess long-tailed pigeon' นกเขาลายเล็ก Chalcophaps               Chalcophaps indica Emerald dove Colombine turvert Cu luồng 'luong pigeon'   绿翅金鸠 lǜ-chì jīn-jiū 'green-winged golden dove' 翠翼鳩 cuì-yì-jiū 'jade-winged dove' キンバト (金鳩) kin-bato 'golden pigeon' นกเขาเขียว Caloenas               Caloenas nicobarica Nicobar pigeon Vulturine pigeon Nicobar à camail Bồ câu Nicoba 'Nicobar bo cau'   尼柯巴鸠 Nìkēbā jiū 'Nicobar dove' (4) 尼科巴鸠 Nìkēbā jiū 'Nicobar dove' (5)   ミノバト (蓑鳩) mino-bato 'straw coat pigeon' นกชาปีไหน Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese Chinese (Taiwan) Japanese Thai

TRERONINAE SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN VIETNAMESE EAST ASIAN S. E. ASIAN Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese Chinese (Taiwan) Japanese Thai Treron               Treron fulvicollis Cinnamon-headed green pigeon Cinnamon-headed green-pigeon Colombar à cou roux Cu xanh cổ nâu 'brown-necked green pigeon'   棕头绿鸠 zōng-tóu lǜ-jiū 'reddish-headed green dove'   ニッケイアオバト (肉桂青鳩) nikkei ao-bato 'cinnamon blue/green pigeon' นกเปล้าแดง Treron vernans Pink-necked green pigeon Pink-necked green-pigeon Colombar giouanne Cu xanh đầu xám 'grey-headed green pigeon'   红颈绿鸠 hóng-jǐng lǜ-jiū 'red-necked green dove'   コアオバト (小青鳩) ko ao-bato 'small blue/green pigeon' นกเปล้าคอสีม่วง Treron bicinctus Treron bicincta Orange-breasted green pigeon Orange-breasted green-pigeon Colombar à double collier Cu xanh khoang cổ 'collared spotted green pigeon'   橙胸绿鸠 chéng-xiōng lǜ-jiū 'orange-breasted green dove' 橙胸綠鳩 chéng-xiōng lǜ-jiū 'orange-breasted green dove' ムネアカアオバト (胸赤青鳩) mune-aka ao-bato 'red-breasted blue/green pigeon' นกเปล้าอกสีม่วงน้ำตาล Treron pompadora Pompadour green pigeon Pompadour green-pigeon Ashy-headed green pigeon Colombar pompadour Cu xanh đuôi đen 'black-tailed green pigeon'   灰头绿鸠 huī-tóu lǜ-jiū 'grey-headed green dove'   ハイビタイアオバト (灰額青鳩) hai-bitai ao-bato 'grey-browed green pigeon' นกเปล้าหน้าเหลือง Note Treron curvirostra Thick-billed green pigeon Thick-billed green-pigeon Thick-billed pigeon Colombar à gros bec Cu xanh mỏ quặp 'curve-billed green pigeon' Cu xanh 'green pigeon' Cu kỳ 'flag pigeon?' 厚嘴绿鸠 hòu-zuǐ lǜ-jiū 'thick-billed green dove'   ハシブトアオバト (嘴太青鳩) hashi-buto ao-bato 'thick-billed green pigeon' นกเขาเปล้า Treron phoenicopterus Treron phoenicoptera Yellow-legged green pigeon Yellow-footed green-pigeon Colombar commandeur Cu xanh chân vàng 'golden-legged green pigeon'   黄脚绿鸠 huáng-jiǎo lǜ-jiū 'yellow-legged green dove'   キアシアオバト (黄足青鳩) ki-ashi ao-bato 'yellow-legged green pigeon' นกเปล้าขาเหลือง Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese Chinese (Taiwan) Japanese Thai Treron apicauda Pin-tailed green pigeon Pin-tailed green-pigeon Colombar à longue queue Cu xanh đuôi nhọn 'sharp-tailed green pigeon'   针尾绿鸠 zhēn-wěi lǜ-jiū 'needle-tailed green dove'   ハリオアオバト (針尾青鳩) hari-o ao-bato 'needle-tailed green pigeon' นกเปล้าหางเข็ม Treron seimundi Yellow-vented green pigeon Yellow-vented green-pigeon Yellow-vented pin-tailed pigeon Yellow-vented pin-tailed green pigeon Colombar de Seimund Cu xanh Seimun 'Seimun green pigeon'   白腹针尾绿鸠 bái-fù zhēn-wěi lǜ-jiū 'white-bellied needle-tailed green dove'   シロハラハリオアオバト (白腹針尾青鳩) shiro-hara hari-o ao-bato 'white-bellied needle-tailed green dove' นกเปล้าหางเข็มหัวปีกแดง Treron sphenurus Treron sphenura Wedge-tailed green pigeon Wedge-tailed green-pigeon Colombar chanteur Cu xanh sáo 'starling green pigeon'   楔尾绿鸠 xiē-wěi lǜ-jiū 'wedge-tailed green dove'   オナガアオバト (尾長青鳩) o-naga ao-bato 'long-tailed green pigeon' นกเปล้าหางพลั่ว Treron sieboldii White-bellied green pigeon White-bellied green-pigeon Japanese green pigeon Siebold's green pigeon White-bellied wedge-tailed green pigeon Colombar de Siebold Cu xanh bụng trắng 'white-bellied green pigeon'   红翅绿鸠 hóng-chì lǜ-jiū 'red-winged green dove' 綠鳩 lǜ-jiū 'green dove' アオバト (青鳩) ao-bato 'blue/green pigeon' นกเปล้าท้องขาว Ducula               Ducula aenea Green imperial pigeon Green imperial-pigeon Carpophage pauline Gầm ghì lưng xanh 'green-backed gam ghi'   绿皇鸠 lǜ huáng-jiū 'green emperor dove'   ミカドバト (帝鳩) mikado-bato 'emperor pigeon' นกลุมพู Ducula badia Mountain imperial pigeon Mountain imperial-pigeon Imperial pigeon Carpophage à manteau brun Gầm ghì lưng nâu 'brown-backed gam ghi'   皇鸠 huáng-jiū 'emperor dove' (2, 4) 山皇鸠 shān huáng-jiū 'mountain emperor dove' (1, 3, 5)   ヤマミカドバト (山帝鳩) yama mikado bato 'mountain emperor pigeon' นกมูม Ducula bicolor Pied imperial pigeon Pied imperial-pigeon Carpophage blanc Gầm ghì trắng 'white gam ghi'   斑皇鸠 bān huáng-jiū 'striped/spotted emperor dove'   ソデグロバト (袖黒鳩) sode-guro bato 'black-sleeved pigeon' นกลุมพูขาว Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese Chinese (Taiwan) Japanese Thai