Range

They can be found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea on the island of New Guinea. Populations of the Victoria crowned pigeon can also be found on some islands around New Guinea.

Habitat

They make their home in lowland forest and swamp forest.

Reproduction

Victoria crowned pigeons are typically monogamous and remain with their mate for life. They may still choose to separate if they fail to produce eggs.

The male will court the female by bowing his head and moving his tail. He will also make booming sounds and bring the female sticks.

A single egg is laid in the nest. The nest is a platform which has been formed from twigs, stems, roots and leave. This will be incubated by both parents for 30 days.

After hatching the young will be tended to by both parents. They will create crop ‘milk’ for the chick which is a rare behavior among birds. Both parents produce this. It is also performed by flamingoes. This behavior continues for the first few days of the chick’s life and is gradually replaced with solid food.

By four weeks old the chick is ready to leave the nest though the parents continue to provide care for a further 9 weeks.

If the chicks or eggs perish due to predation the mother will lay a second clutch of eggs.

Sexual maturity is reached at 15 months old.

Behavior

They will gather in groups of 2-10 birds to feed.

Most of their time is spent on the floor of the forest where they will walk around. They are able to fly but are reluctant to do this unless threatened. In a typical day they will forage in the morning, rest through the hottest parts of the day before foraging again in the afternoon.

At night they will roost on a tree branch.

Their call is a loud ‘whooping’ noise.

Predators and Threats

Humans affect their population through habitat destruction including for the development of palm oil plantations.

Hunting of the birds themselves has decreased in recent years and this has lead to them being downgraded from vulnerable on the IUCN red list.

They are protected across their range though some are still collected for the illegal wildlife trade.

Quick facts

The Victoria crowned pigeon is the world’s largest pigeon species.

They are one of the three species of crowned pigeon.