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Crested PigeonAlternate name(s): "Crested Bronzewing"; MISNOMER: "Toppy" (="Top-knot Pigeon"*) ![]() Race "whitlocki": "kakara" (WA) Size: 31-35 cm Weight: 145-260 g |
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Photos |
Race "lophotes"
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ADULT |
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MALE |
Close-up near-frontal view of a male Crested Pigeon; the sex was not
determined by the bird's morphology, but by its behaviour (it had
just been competing with another male)
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2023]
Close-up lateral view of a male Crested Pigeon
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2023]
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PAIR |
Pair of Crested Pigeons on the ground
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2012]
Pair of Crested Pigeons resting in the shade
(photo courtesy of M. Windeyer)
[Gilgandra, NSW, January 2014]
Pair of Crested Pigeons seen preening
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, October 2013]
Family of Crested Pigeons
(photo courtesy of
V. Collins)
[Eulah Creek, NSW, February 2021]
Sex unknown |
Near-frontal view of a Crested Pigeon feeding on the ground
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, 2010]
Near-frontal view of a Crested Pigeon looking sideways
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2022]
Near-lateral view of a Crested Pigeon
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, 2010]
Close-up lateral portrait of a Crested Pigeon
[Eulah Creek, NSW, February 2020]
Close-up lateral portrait of a Crested Pigeon
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2008]
Close-up lateral view of a Crested Pigeon
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Torquay, VIC, April 2022]
Lateral view of a Crested Pigeon; note how here the
speculum
shows a spectrum of colours...
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2009]
... while here the Crested Pigeon's
speculum
remains inconspicuous
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2012]
Lateral view of a Crested Pigeon feeding on a
lawn in an
urban park
[Walgett, NSW, September 2012]
Lateral view of a Crested Pigeon
(photo courtesy of
V. Collins)
[Eulah Creek, NSW, February 2021]
Close-up lateral/ventral view of a Crested Pigeon
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2011]
Dorsal view of a Crested Pigeon in mellow light
(photo courtesy of B. Kinross)
[Beachmere, QLD, September 2014]
Dorsal view of a Crested Pigeon snoozing on a fence gate
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2013]
Size comparison between a Crested Pigeon and a
Peaceful Dove
[Eulah Creek, NSW, June 2012]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Family of Crested Pigeons roosting in a
eucalypt
tree; two dependent juveniles in the middle are sheltered by
their parents
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2009]
Hypermelanistic Crested Pigeons
In October 2022, M. Eaton found two hypermelanistic Crested Pigeons (with excess dark colour pigmentation) at Yulara, NT.
Lateral view of an
hypermelanistic
Crested Pigeon
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Yulara, NT, October 2022]
Lateral view of a resting
hypermelanistic
Crested Pigeon
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Yulara, NT, October 2022]
Near-frontal view of a second
hypermelanistic
Crested Pigeon
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Yulara, NT, October 2022]
Lateral view of a second
hypermelanistic
Crested Pigeon
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Yulara, NT, October 2022]
Race "whitlocki"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Near-frontal view of a Crested Pigeon (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Broome, WA, April 2015]
Near-frontal view of a Crested Pigeon (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Broome, WA, April 2015]
Lateral view of a Crested Pigeon; note the particularly long
upper mandible of this bird (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Austin Bay, near Mandurah, WA, March 2017]
Lateral view of a Crested Pigeon (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Broome, WA, April 2015]
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: Aug - Jan | Eggs: 2 | Incubation period: 18 - 20 days | Fledging age: 21 days |
Given the right conditions, Crested Pigeons can breed any time of the year.
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Additional information |
A. Morris reports that Crested Pigeons like to take advantage of the protection offered by nesting under a Grey Butcherbird nest. There is now a separate page about various bird species nesting under the umbrella of a stronger, protective species.
Crested Pigeon chick that was rescued after it, together with
its nest, came down in high winds in September 2011; the chick,
in a cardboard box containing the sad remains of the nest, was
placed back in the tree where it had come from and business
continued as usual; photo courtesy of R. Druce
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
If you are looking for a pigeon's nest, you may want to check out
the nest of
a Laughing Dove found by us in Oman.
Type: Rudimentary basket | Material: Twigs | Height above ground: 1 - 6 m |
View of a Crested Pigeon's nest that, considering that it is a
pigeon's, is looking pretty solid
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2011]
Fledging-age Crested Pigeon chick in its nest - this bird
left the nest hours after the photo was taken, before
nightfall
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2017]
Crested Pigeon chick in its nest (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
Crested Pigeon chick in its nest; the second egg did not hatch
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2017]
Crested Pigeon on its nest, in the same tree as a year before
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2012]
Crested Pigeon on its nest of twigs, lined with feathers
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, April 2006]
Portrait of a Crested Pigeon on its nest
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, April 2006]
Crested Pigeon moving positions on its nest, thereby allowing
a good view of one of its chicks (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead, QLD, August 2017]
Crested Pigeon squatting down to brood its chicks (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead, QLD, August 2017]
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 31 x 23 mm | Colour: White | Shape: Tapered oval |
Crested Pigeon's nest with two eggs in it
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2006]
Crested Pigeon's nest with first one fresh egg...
[Eulah Creek, NSW, July 2018]
... and the next day two; note that the fresh egg is still
pinkish and partially translucent
[Eulah Creek, NSW, July 2018]
Photo of a Crested Pigeon's nest with a close-up view of
the two eggs in it; the day after the photo was taken the
eggs were gone, fallen prey to a
Pied
Currawong's appetite
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2006]
A serious potential source of loss for Crested Pigeons: Goannas
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2012]
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Communal | Mobility: Dispersive | Elementary unit: Pair/small flock |
When nesting Crested Pigeons don't mind close proximity to humans. The nest shown above was at a height of about 2 m in a tree right next to our neighbour's driveway. It was built in a tree with dense foliage and a multitude of branches, which is typical for Crested Pigeons. Approaching the nest for a close-range photo was no problem at all; the bird on the nest did not let itself be disturbed.
Males put up displays for the females they are courting from conspicuous places, such as fenceposts.
Male Crested Pigeon displaying its plumage to impress a female
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, September 2014]
Male Crested Pigeon displaying its plumage to impress a female;
since he is not posing for the camera, but the female, the "wrong"
side is shown here...
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2010]
Sometimes there is courtship competition...
Like other species of doves and pigeons, Crested Pigeons are seen to lift one of their wings occasionally, possibly for evaporative cooling.
Crested Pigeon lifting one of its wings; photo courtesy of C. Kellenberg
Pair of Crested Pigeons both lifting a wing
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2011]
You scratch my back...
[Near Narrabri, NSW, 2004]
... I scratch yours!
[Near Narrabri, NSW, 2004]
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Food, Diet |
Adults: Seeds | Dependents: Regurgitated seeds | Water intake: Daily |
All pigeons and doves are strictly vegetarian. Crested Pigeons are seed-eaters.
Crested Pigeons drinking en masse (photo courtesy of
R. Plumtree)
[Strzelecki track, SA, September 2018]
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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.
crpige_20140411_2.mp3 |
lophotes (NW NSW) |
Contact calls | © MD | |
crpige_20210112_3.m4a |
lophotes (NW NSW) |
Male wooing female | © MD |
We have also recorded the typical "whirring" wing beat of a Crested Pigeon.
crpige_20150415.mp3 |
lophotes (NW NSW) |
Straight level flight | © MD | |
crpige_20210112.m4a |
lophotes (NW NSW) |
Passing by | © MD | |
crpige_20140423_3.mp3 |
lophotes (NW NSW) |
Arrival | © MD | |
crpige_20150808_2.m4a |
lophotes (NW NSW) |
Male's arrival & courting | © MD | |
crpige_20200302.m4a |
lophotes (NW NSW) |
Departure | © MD | |
crpige_20190227.m4a |
lophotes (NW NSW) |
Pair departure | © MD | |
crpige_20140423_4.mp3 |
lophotes (NW NSW) |
Short flutter | © MD |
More Crested Pigeon sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.