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Spinifex Pigeon (Geophaps plumifera) Alternate name(s): "Plumed Pigeon", "Red Plumed Pigeon", "Plumed Bronze-wing", "Plumed Dove", "Red Plumed Dove", "Ground Dove" Size: 20-24 cm Weight: 70-130 g

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

Physical description Click here for a physical description Spinifex Pigeons are small pigeons. Their characteristic feature is a red-brown cap with a long, whispy red-brown crest. Their plumage is mostly red-brown; different races have slightly different plumages. Race "ferruginea" has a red-brown front (neck, chest, belly, vent), except for a narrow black chest band. Race "leucogaster" has a narrow white chest band above the black one and its belly and vent are also whitish, instead of red-brown. Nominate race "plumifera" has a slightly different facial pattern. Otherwise the races are identical. The frons is grey, the eyes with yellow irises are surrounded by a red eye patch. The upper part of the throat is white. Bill, gape, eyebrow and the lower part of the throat are black, connecting to a grey and a white patch on the cheeks. The wings are boldly striped red-brown, black and grey, with some iridescent flight feathers. The rump is red-brown, the tail is brown.

Taxonomy, classification See Spinifex 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 based on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Spinifex Pigeon is available HERE . There are three races of Spinifex Pigeons, all of which are endemic to the northern half of the Australian continent. Nominate race "plumifera" populates the border region of tropical WA with the Top End of the NT, from about Broome, WA, in the West to the area south of about Katherine, NT, in the East. In this area they are found up to about 500 km inland. Race "ferruginea" is found in WA, in the area between the Gascoyne River and the de Grey River, with an extension of their range from the upper Gascoyne towards the South-East, about halfway towards Kalgoorlie, WA. The range of race "leucogaster" has a very irregular shape (for details see a field guide). This race is found roughly in the southern (subtropical) parts of the NT and the far south-western corner of QLD, much of the eastern NT, up to the eastern half of the South coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria and from there further into QLD, including the region around Mt. Isa, QLD. As their name already suggests, Spinifex Pigeons have a preference for "Spinifex" grassland and also rocky hills. Being seed-eaters in need of a daily drink, they will stay near water.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "plumifera" A Spinifex Pigeon, race "plumifera", was observed by S. Kirkby in the Hammersley Ranges, northern WA, in June 2011. J. Greaves reports spotting a Spinifex Pigeon, race "plumifera", at the Kununurra, WA, sewage treatment works in January 2016. P. Brown reports finding Spinifex Pigeons, race "plumifera", at Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, in April 2018. Race "leucogaster" C. Charles reports spotting Spinifex Pigeons, race "leucogaster", at Diamantina Lakes NP, south-western QLD, in August 2013. B. Hensen found a Spinifex Pigeon, race "leucogaster", at Ormiston Gorge, near Alice Springs, NT, in July 2018.

Photos

Race "plumifera"

ADULT

Frontal view of a Spinifex Pigeon (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]

Lateral view of a Spinifex Pigeon (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a Spinifex Pigeon (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]

Dorsal view of a Spinifex Pigeon (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]

Race "leucogaster"

ADULT

Lateral view of a Spinifex Pigeon (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Ormiston Gorge, near Alice Springs, NT, July 2018]

Dorsal view of a Spinifex Pigeon (photo courtesy of C. Charles)
[Diamantina Lakes NP, QLD, August 2013]

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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