Bird Guide

Crested Pigeon

Ocyphaps lophotes

Least ConcernSeedsGrasslandPlatform nestMedium · 204 g

About the Crested Pigeon

The crested pigeon is a bird found widely throughout mainland Australia except for the far northern tropical areas. Only two Australian pigeon species possess an erect crest, the crested pigeon and the spinifex pigeon. The crested pigeon is the larger of the two species. The crested pigeon is sometimes referred to as a topknot pigeon, a common name shared with the reddish crested Lopholaimus antarcticus of Eastern Australia.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

ID tip

The length of the crested pigeon varies from 30 to 34 cm (12 to 13 in). Colouration is grey with tinges of brown, pink and green. It has a feathered, but slender, black spike on top of the head. It runs with the crest erect. The periorbital skin is bright orange. Wings have black stripes and are bronzed, while the primary feathers have iridescent areas of brown, purple, blue, and green. Immature birds have duller colours with no bronzing on the wings. The birds can be normally seen in two sizes, they can be thin or plumped.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

What the Crested Pigeon sounds like

Recording: Peter Russell · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto
Recording: James Ray · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

Where the Crested Pigeon lives

Regular rangeRare visitor

Recorded as a rare visitor in Japan.

When to see the Crested Pigeon

Peak activity in October · a resident species across most of its range

Easily confused with

Side by side: Crested Pigeon vs Inca Dove · Common Ground Dove vs Crested Pigeon · Band-tailed Pigeon vs Crested Pigeon

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