One of the 10 pigeons on WAnimals
Birds · Columbiformes · Columbidae
Victoria Crowned-Pigeon
Goura victoria
It could become endangered in the near future if current threats go unchecked. See full glossary
The Victoria crowned pigeon is the largest pigeon in the world: it reaches the size of a turkey and weighs more than two kilos. It is a deep bluish grey, with a wine-coloured breast and a spectacular crest of feathers tipped with white that crowns its head like a fan of lace. It walks the forest floor searching for fallen fruit and seeds, and flies up into the trees only to roost or escape. Hunting and logging have reduced it to the remotest parts of New Guinea.
Weight
2 kg – 2.5 kg
Size
73 cm – 75 cm
Lifespan
25 years
Diet
Herbivore
Feeds mainly on plants.
Activity
Diurnal
Active mainly during the day.
Social structure
In pairs
Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.
Sighting difficulty
Moderate
Fun facts
- It is the largest pigeon in the world: it weighs more than two kilos and reaches the size of a small turkey, a long way from the four hundred grams of a wood pigeon.
- It owes its name to Queen Victoria, and its crest of white-tipped feathers, unique among pigeons, is what has made it a target for hunters and collectors alike.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
- Habitat & environment
- Floor of lowland rainforest, swamp forest and sago stands of northern New Guinea
- Birth weight
- Altricial: born blind, naked or with sparse down and entirely dependent
- Size at birth
- Altricial: born blind, naked or with sparse down and entirely dependent
- Sexual maturity
- 2 years
- Gestation / incubation
- 30 days of incubation
- Litter / clutch size
- 1 egg
Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapBest time: All year in the forests of northern New Guinea and on the islands of Yapen and Biak, by day; it walks on the ground in pairs or small groups.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Victoria Crowned-Pigeon — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Nicobar Pigeon
Caloenas nicobarica
Laurel Pigeon
Columba junoniae
Bolle's Pigeon
Columba bollii
Tooth-billed Pigeon
Didunculus strigirostris
Comoro Blue-Pigeon
Alectroenas sganzini
Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura
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