Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes
What do they look like ? Crested Pigeons are grey-brown pigeons about 30 cm long with slightly iridescent ( shiny ) green-bronze sections in the wings and pink legs . They have a small upright or backwards crest . They are often called a ‘ topknot pigeon ’, ( though there is a large , rainforest pigeon in the wet tropics , with this name ).
Where do they live ? Crested Pigeons are common in open country across the region . They rarely occur in wetter or closed forests . They have expanded eastwards to coastal areas as a result of urbanisation . Open grassland and woodlands are favoured . They are particularly common around artificial water points such as bores and farm dams .
What do they need to live , eat and breed ? Crested Pigeons are granivores ( seed eaters ) and they feed in open country . They build a flimsy nest of twigs , often on a tree with large leaves such as a palm . It is very common for Crested Pigeons to nest around homesteads . Crested Pigeons require access to water and may leave an area if it becomes too dry .
When might I see ( or hear ) them ? Crested Pigeons are common around homesteads , rural centres , cattle yards , grain silos and in many city suburbs . Their wings whistle distinctly in flight and they cock their tail on landing .
What management actions affect this species ? Crested Pigeons are ‘ disturbance increasers ’ - increasing in numbers with clearing , cropping or urbanisation . Proliferation of species such as Crested Pigeons indicates high levels of alteration of the natural landscape and is indicative of a decrease in overall bird diversity .
How do they benefit the land I manage ? As with many granivores , Crested Pigeons may reduce single grass species dominance through seed consumption . Unlike Galahs , another disturbance increaser , Crested Pigeons are not destructive feeders .
Similar species : Spinifex Pigeon ( Geophaps plumifera ) is similar but smaller ( quail-sized ), with a taller crest . Common Bronzewing ( Phaps elegans ), Bar-shouldered Dove ( Geopelia humeralis ) and Squatter Pigeons ( Geophaps scripta ) all lack crests .
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