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11

Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon (Petrophassa rufipennis) Alternate name(s): "Rock-pigeon*" Aboriginal name(s): "kukarook" Size: 28-32 cm Weight: 130-175 g

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Similar species

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

Physical description Click here for a physical description Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeons are medium-sized pigeons. Their plumage is highly cryptic. They are vermiculated throughout, with a light-grey and dark-grey vermiculated head, greyish-brown neck with lighter vermiculation, becoming increasingly brownish towards the tail, with mostly brown wing feathers with a darker grey-brown centre and lighter brown edges. The rump and tail are almost all-brown. In flight they show a prominent chestnut panel in their upperwings. Sometimes some of that chestnut can show on the folded wings. The eyes, which have dark irises, are surrounded by a grey warty skin ring. The slender bill and the legs and feet are grey. Twitcher's tip We have noticed that both species of Rock-Pigeon, Chestnut-quilled and White-quilled, can show signs of faint iridescence in their wing feathers. While well-known and documented for various species of doves and pigeons, we have not found this mentioned for Rock-Pigeons.

Taxonomy, classification See Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon 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 Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon is available HERE . Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeons are endemic to tropical northern Australia. They have a very limited range, extending from about Pine Creek and Katherine, NT, to the East Alligator River and into Kakadu NP and western Arnhemland, inland of Maningrida, NT. Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeons have a strong preference for rocky terrain, in particular sandstone gorges and escarpments, with grass and shrubs in between scattered rocks and/or outcrops.

Sightings Click here for sighting information B. Hensen reports spotting Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeons in Kakadu NP, NT, in July 2018. M. Eaton found Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeons at the same location in July 2020 and again in June 2023.

Photos

ADULT

Sex unknown

Near-lateral view of a Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon studying the observer first with one eye... (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kakadu NP, NT, June 2023]

... and then the other (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kakadu NP, NT, June 2023]

Lateral view of a Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon; note the name-giving rufous wing panel (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Kakadu NP, NT, July 2018]

Lateral view of a Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon on a rock ledge (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Kakadu NP, NT, July 2018]

This view shows the small off-white chin patch of a Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Kakadu NP, NT, July 2018]

Lateral view of a Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon; note the faint bluish-grey iridescence (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Kakadu NP, NT, July 2018]

Lateral view of a Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kakadu NP, NT, July 2020]

Lateral view of a Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon; note the faint bluish-grey iridescence (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Kakadu NP, NT, July 2018]

Dorsal view of a Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Kakadu NP, NT, July 2018]

Snoozing Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeons (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Kakadu NP, NT, July 2018]

Distant, somewhat blurred dorsal view of a departing Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon, showing clearly the characteristic chestnut wing panels (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Kakadu NP, NT, July 2018]

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.

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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: Wed, 28 June 2023, 0:24 +00:00