Crowned Pigeon

Crowned Pigeon, common name for three species of large, ornate pigeons found only in New Guinea and a few adjoining islands. They are also popular in zoos and private collections worldwide. Crowned pigeons are ground-dwelling birds that inhabit lowland rain forests, generally up to elevations of about 110 m (about 350 ft). They occasionally leave the ground to perch on branches and will roost in trees at night.

The three crowned pigeon species are similar in coloration and size. All are blue-gray with patches of maroon. They have long tails, red eyes, stout red legs, and large, lacy, fanlike head crests, for which they have been widely hunted. The white-tipped crest feathers of the Victoria crowned pigeon are the most striking. Crowned pigeons are the largest members of the pigeon family. The Scheepmaker’s crowned pigeon is about 70 to 77 cm (about 28 to 30 in) long, while the common and Victoria crowned pigeon are about 60 to 70 cm (about 24 to 28 in) long.

The diet of the crowned pigeon consists mostly of fallen fruits, berries, and seeds. In the wild, crowned pigeons forage together in small groups of from two to ten birds and may gather into larger groups at water holes.

During courtship, the male gives a loud booming call. Other displays include a bow, in which the male spreads and erects his tail, partly opens his wings, and bows his head. The male may also dance on the ground with his wings upstretched while the female lifts her wings high and runs around him in a circle. Initially, the male brings the nesting material and presents it to the female. Later, either bird may bring nesting material to the other. The nest is solid and compact, built of dead stems, sticks, and leaves, and is usually 4 to 15 m (12 to 50 ft) above the ground on the branch of a tree.

The female lays a single white egg, and both the parents take turns incubating, or warming, the egg by sitting on it for 28 to 29 days until the chick hatches. If one bird is late in relieving the other at the nest, the incubating bird will start booming loudly. Both parents feed the young pigeon a fluid known as pigeon’s milk, which is secreted by the lining of the adult bird’s crop (two special pouches near the throat). As the chick grows, grain and fruit are added to its diet. The young pigeon is ready to leave the nest, or fledge, about 30 days after hatching, however, the adults continue to feed it for several weeks.

The crowned pigeon has disappeared from areas close to towns and villages in New Guinea, where despite protective laws, it is hunted for its beautiful crest feathers and for food. It has been successfully bred in captivity since the mid-1850s.

Scientific classification: The three crowned pigeon species are members of the pigeon family, Columbidae, in the order Columbiformes. The Victoria crowned pigeon is classified as Goura victoria, the common crowned pigeon as Goura cristata, and the Scheepmaker’s crowned pigeon as Goura scheepmakeri.

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