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11

Common Bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera) Alternate name(s): "Forest Bronzewing", "Bronze-wing Pigeon" Aboriginal name(s): "tappak", "dhamarr" [gamilaraay, yuwaalaraay]; "taap"/"tap" [yartwatjali, tjapwurrung, djadjawurrung]; "ooda*", "oot", "ngambin", "moorytch*", "moonbi" (WA); "wingabutta", "gnambam", "murnpip", "warriwarri" Size: 30-36 cm Weight: 250-450 g

Australia: Family Group 11 Family Group 11 Table White-headed Pigeon Pied Imperial Pigeon Topknot Pigeon Crested Pigeon Spinifex Pigeon Flock Bronzewing Common Bronzewing Brush Bronzewing Squatter Pigeon Partridge Pigeon White-quilled Rock-Pigeon Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon Banded Fruit-Dove Wompoo Fruit-Dove Superb Fruit Dove Rose-crowned Fruit Dove Emerald Dove Brown Cuckoo-Dove Wonga Pigeon Peaceful Dove Diamond Dove Bar-shouldered Dove Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names Habitat pages Key plants Birds home page

Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Common Bronzewings are medium-sized pigeons. Their plumage is dimorphic, i.e. male and female are slightly different. The only difference is that male Common Bronzewings have a white to cream-coloured frons and dark-brown cap, while females have a light-grey frons and greyish-brown cap. Otherwise the two sexes are identical. Both sexes have a white line under the eyes, females also have a white "eyebrow". The front (throat, chest, belly, vent) is pinkish-grey, the sides of the neck are grey, while the back is scalloped brown. The wings have black tips and very prominent iridescent flight feathers. The colour display is rich, with a range from yellow/gold to orange, metallic-brown to green and purple. The eyes are black, the bill is dark-grey and the legs and feet are dark pinkish-grey. Juveniles resemble females, but with more subdued colours, broader buff fringes and little iridescence. Twitcher's tip Common Bronzewings have the richest display of iridescence known to us.

Taxonomy, classification See Common Bronzewing at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Common Bronzewing is available HERE . Common Bronzewings are endemic to Australia. They are most common in eastern Australia, i.e. VIC, NSW and eastern QLD, but are found in the western half of WA as well. They are well-adapted to living in semi-arid and even arid environments and can - after substantial inland rainfall - be found almost all over the Australian continent, except the major deserts in eastern WA. Common Bronzewings can be found in Tasmania and several other offshore islands as well. When not occasionally foraging out in open areas, Common Bronzewings are mostly found in relatively dense vegetation, in forest, woodland and dense scrub, also in mallee. They are often observed along the margins of such dense vegetation, e.g. around dams or roads. Although sometimes found close to humans, in general they are shier than e.g. Crested Pigeons and therefore normally harder to approach.

Sightings Click here for sighting information We see Common Bronzewings regularly by country roadsides, mostly along dirt and gravel roads, in the Narrabri, NSW, area. They occasionally appeared on the paddocks of the property where we lived from 2003 to 2006, 20 km South of Narrabri, NSW. Common Bronzewings are seen by us regularly on the western fringes of Mt. Kaputar NP, in Deriah Aboriginal Area, 30 km East of Narrabri. We have also spotted the species in numerous other locations with in the Great Dividing Range. They are normally seen by us in pairs or families with up to four members. In order to see larger numbers, one needs to go into relatively undisturbed areas of contiguous forest, woodland or scrub, such as e.g. the Pilliga scrub. C. Hayne reports that Common Bronzewings are only occasionally seen in the area of Moree, NSW, e.g. in the Gwydir Wetlands. They can be found consistently at Pallamallawa, NSW. A. Ross-Taylor reports spotting Common Bronzewings at Nerang NP, Gold Coast, QLD, in October 2013 and near Stanthorpe, QLD, in March 2015. R. Plumtree reports spotting Common Bronzewings in the area of Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, and elsewhere in VIC, semi-regularly. Various contributors report finding Common Bronzewings in and around Melbourne, VIC. J. Greaves reports spotting a Common Bronzewing in various locations of south-western WA, e.g. at Lake Gnangara, Perth, and at Albany in January 2015, and in Manjimup in March 2015. C. Pears reports finding Common Bronzewings semi-regularly at Quindalup, WA. They were also found at Mellenbye Station, ca. 50 km NE of Morawa, WA, in September 2022. M. Eaton reports finding Common Bronzewings in Margaret River, WA, in April 2019. P. Brown spotted a Common Bronzewing at Lorrngorl Camp, Giwining Nature Reserve, NT, in September 2020. M. Eaton spotted a Common Bronzewing at Mt. Nelson, Hobart, TAS, in April 2021, and also at Salt Creek, Coorong, SA, in April 2022. C. Pears spotted Common Bronzewings at Adventure Bay, Bruny Island, TAS, in January 2023.

Photos

Not the photos you want? Or are you after even better quality? Have a look here .

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a male Common Bronzewing on the ground; note the typical buff forehead
[Eulah Creek, NSW, February 2014]

Frontal view of a male Common Bronzewing on the ground; note the all-white forehead (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Bronzewing State Forest, near Patchewollock, VIC, October 2019]

Frontal view of a male Common Bronzewing
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2019]

Near-frontal view of a male Common Bronzewing
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2019]

Near-frontal view of a male Common Bronzewing (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, March 2017]

Near-lateral view of a male Common Bronzewing using its thorax as resonance body to intonate its deep "whoop" call
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2012]

Close-up lateral view of a male Common Bronzewing, with a spectacular display of iridescence on its speculum (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Pilliga scrub, NSW, November 2020]

Close-up lateral view of a male Common Bronzewing cooling on a hot day (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Pilliga scrub, NSW, November 2020]

Lateral view of a male Common Bronzewing (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margaret River, WA, April 2019]

Lateral view of a male Common Bronzewing with prominent iridescence (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Stanthorpe, QLD, March 2015]

Lateral view of a male Common Bronzewing foraging for seeds
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, April 2006]

Lateral view of a male Common Bronzewing (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Moggill, QLD, January 2018]

This male Common Bronzewing looks pale compared with other birds shown here (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Near Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, September 2014]

Lateral/ventral view of a male Common Bronzewing (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Near Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, November 2017]

Lateral/ventral view of a male Common Bronzewing
[Girraween NP, QLD, January 2017]

Near-dorsal view of a male Common Bronzewing (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, December 2019]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a male Common Bronzewing
[Girraween NP, QLD, January 2017]

Near-dorsal view of a male Common Bronzewing on the ground
[Eulah Creek, NSW, February 2014]

Dorsal view of a male Common Bronzewing on the ground
[Eulah Creek, NSW, February 2014]

Dorsal view of a male Common Bronzewing stepping out of the bathtub, exposing its underwings
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Kooyoora State Park, near Bendigo, VIC, October 2018]

Dorsal view of a male Common Bronzewing stepping out of the bathtub, exposing its upperwings
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Kooyoora State Park, near Bendigo, VIC, October 2018]

FEMALE

Full-frontal view of a female Common Bronzewing; note the grey forehead (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Salt Creek, Coorong, SA, April 2022]

Frontal view of a female Common Bronzewing
[75 km NW of Walgett, NSW, March 2022]

Near-frontal view of a female Common Bronzewing (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Salt Creek, Coorong, SA, April 2022]

Near-frontal view of two female Common Bronzewings, one of which is using evaporative cooling by lifting a wing
(photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Pilliga scrub, NSW, November 2020]

Near-lateral view of a female Common Bronzewing approaching a waterhole
[Pilliga scrub, NSW, December 2011]

Close-up lateral view of a female Common Bronzewing (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Pilliga scrub, NSW, November 2020]

Close-up lateral view of a female Common Bronzewing
[75 km NW of Walgett, NSW, March 2022]

Close-up lateral view of a female Common Bronzewing
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, October 2019]

Lateral view of a female Common Bronzewing, typically sitting in a shady place on a dirt road
[Pilliga scrub, NSW, October 2008]

Different female Common Bronzewing, similar view
[Pilliga scrub, NSW, September 2008]

The same Common Bronzewing as above, now out in sunlight; note how under this angle of illumination there is hardly any iridescence from the wing coverts, while in the photo above, although in the shade, various colours are visible
[Pilliga scrub, NSW, September 2008]

Close-up near-dorsal view of a female Common Bronzewing
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2023]

Near-dorsal view of a female Common Bronzewing (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margaret River, WA, April 2019]

Lateral view of a female Common Bronzewing together with a male Brush Bronzewing (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Salt Creek, Coorong, SA, April 2022]

PAIR

Pair of Common Bronzewings; male on the left, female on the right (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Quindalup, WA, September 2021]

Pair of Common Bronzewings; male on the left, female on the right (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margaret River, WA, April 2019]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Close-up near-lateral view of an immature male(?) Common Bronzewing - note the pinkish front, the dark-brown crown and the rich iridescence characteristic of an adult male, but the absence of buff on the forehead (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Paynesville, VIC, April 2023]

Close-up lateral view of an immature male(?) Common Bronzewing (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Paynesville, VIC, April 2023]

Close-up lateral view of an immature female(?) Common Bronzewing (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Paynesville, VIC, April 2023]

Close-up lateral view of an immature female(?) Common Bronzewing looking up at the sky (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Paynesville, VIC, April 2023]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Aug - Feb

Eggs: 2

Incubation period: 16 - 18 days

Fledging age: ca. 21 days

The breeding season may depend on geographic latitude. Given the right conditions, Common Bronzewings can breed almost any time of the year.

The reason why female Common Bronzewings tend to have sturdy legs... (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Near Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, December 2017]

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Rudimentary basket

Material: Twigs

Height above ground: 2 - 15(?) m

Additional information

It is known that Common Bronzewings will re-use nests of other species. The photo below shows that they do not mind building their stick nest inside an old mud nest. We have compiled some more information on the (re-)use of mud nests.

Male Common Bronzewing sitting on its nest, which is built ontop of a re-used White-winged Chough nest
[Leard State Forest, NSW, November 2012]

Female Common Bronzewing on its nest (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead, QLD, August 2017]

Common Bronzewing on its nest (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead, QLD, August 2017]

Female Common Bronzewing on its typical flimsy stick nest (photo courtesy of B. Kinross)

Unusually low Common Bronzewing nest only 0.5 m from the ground, on an ironbark eucalypt with new shoots
(photo courtesy of D. Johnston)
[Baradine/Coonamble area, NSW, 1980ies]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 34 x 25 mm

Colour: White

Shape: Ellipsoidal

Common Bronzewing nest with two eggs in it (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead, QLD, August 2017]

Closer look at the 2 eggs inside an unusually low Common Bronzewing nest (photo courtesy of D. Johnston)
[Baradine/Coonamble area, NSW, 1980ies]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal

Mobility: Sedentary

Elementary unit: Pair/flock

Out in nature, Common Bronzewings are usually quite shy and hard to approach on foot, although they do occasionally let cars get very close. While others species, such as e.g. Crested Pigeons and Peaceful Doves often stay around farms, Common Bronzewings have never been seen by us to stay close to humans. This may contribute to the fact that they are not common in parts of their former habitat any longer, possibly due to loss of habitat. In large pieces of contiguous bushland, such as e.g. the Pilliga scrub, they are still abundant.

Solitary male Common Bronzewing trying to hide in tall grass by the side of a road
[Near Narrabri, NSW, November 2011]

Male Common Bronzewing on an earth mound by the side of a road
[Eulah Creek, NSW, February 2014]

This photo is a reminder of the "olden days", when Common Bronzewings were still plentiful - on this occasion we saw a total of about 50 birds
[Pilliga scrub, NSW, May 2011]

When being fed, Common Bronzewings can become docile, as shown in the photos below.

Frontal view of a male Common Bronzewing taking food sitting on a person's knee (photo courtesy of M. McMillan)
[Greensborough, VIC, July 2014]

Lateral view of a male Common Bronzewing taking food sitting on a person's knee (photo courtesy of M. McMillan)
[Greensborough, VIC, July 2014]

Food, Diet

Adults: Seeds

Dependents: Regurgitated seeds

Water intake: Daily

All pigeons and doves are strictly vegetarian. Common Bronzewings are seed-eaters.

This male Common Bronzewing is waiting in a tree for traffic to clear, before returning to foraging by the side of a dirt road
[Near Maules Creek, NSW, March 2013]

This female Common Bronzewing may have been picking up grit (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Hollands Landing, near Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park, VIC, October 2014]

Close-up lateral view of a drinking female Common Bronzewing
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, October 2019]

This is the female Common Bronzewing whose wing beats were recorded by us on 21 February 2015, departing after having a drink from an artifical dam
[Pilliga scrub, NSW, February 2015]

Common Bronzewings drinking from a water hole in very faint light on a rainy afternoon, just before sunset; this shot shows the amazing colours of their iridescent wing feathers even in bad light
[Pilliga scrub, NSW, July 2011]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

Doves and pigeons do not, like other birds, open their bills when calling, but they rather "hum" through their noses, with the bill closed.

There is a separate page showing a male Common Bronzewing calling with its bill closed.

cbrwing_20171101.m4a	(NW NSW)	Contact calls (male)	© MD
cbrwing_20221205.mp3	(NW NSW)	Contact calls (male)	© MD
cbrwing_20201219_2.m4a	(NW NSW)	Contact calls (male) (+ White-browed Woodswallow)	© MD
cbrwing_20201219_3.m4a	(NW NSW)	Contact calls (male); long sequence (+ others)	© MD
cbrwing_20200619.m4a	(NW NSW)	?	© MD

We have also recorded the wing beat of a Common Bronzewing.

cbrwing_20171209_2.m4a	(NW NSW)	Arrival (male)	© MD
cbrwing_20150221_noNR.mp3	(NW NSW)	Departure (female)	© MD
cbrwing_20191203.m4a	(NW NSW)	Departure	© MD

More Common Bronzewing sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site? If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.

Disclaimer: Comments are always welcome. We give no guarantee that the information presented on these pages is always correct or up-to-date. External links are marked as such and we take no responsibility for the contents of external pages. All images on this site are protected by copyright & used by permission of the respective owners. If you wish to reproduce them or any of the material presented on this web site, please contact us: We hereby acknowledge the original custodians of the land which is described on these pages, including the Gomeroi/Gamilaraay people of the North-west Slopes and Plains of NSW, and the traditional owners of other lands and nations within this country. We acknowledge elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty was never ceded.          Last updated: Thu, 27 April 2023, 11:14 +00:00