Victoria Crowned Pigeon |
Victoria Crowned Pigeon Information And Facts With Picture
Today I am going to tell you about a species of pigeon which is very beautiful in appearance. Its name is Victoria Crown Pigeon. Victoria Crown Pigeon | The most beautiful pigeon among the pigeon species, about which we will get to know in detail today.
People are familiar only with the common pigeons seen in the city and do not necessarily consider them beautiful birds. Many species of pigeons are found around the world.
For interesting and fun information about Victoria Crown Pigeon, you have to read the whole thing. Let us tell you that there are about 344 species of pigeons in this world.
However, some of the 344 species of pigeons look very amazing. Other crowned pigeon species look similar but the Victoria Crowned Pigeon has a different crest.
Let's take a closer look at some of the most interesting facts about one of the most beautiful pigeons in the world, the Victoria Crowned Pigeon Goura Victoria.
Subspecies Of Victoria Crowned Pigeon
Two subspecies of the Victoria Crowned Pigeon are found on the mainland of New Guinea, G. V. bakeri and the nominate species found on the islands of Yapen, Biak and Supiori are Gv victoria.
The subspecies is distinctly smaller with a wing chord measurement of 31.6–33.2 cm (12.4–13.1 in) with less robust legs and darker overall wings. The nominate has a black crest on the wing coverts and just above the tail.
Gv victoria is the nominate species and can only be found on the nearby islands of Yapen, Biak and Supiori, which are part of Papua in Indonesia.
Where Are Victoria Crowned Pigeons Found
The Victoria Crowned Pigeon is found in northern New Guinea and surrounding islands and parts of Indonesia. The Victoria Crowned Pigeon lives in lowland moist and swamp forests.
The Victoria Crowned Pigeon roams the dense forests in the northern part of New Guinea, and their main job is foraging. They do this quite comfortably as long as no one is disturbing them.
New Guinea is the second largest island and is located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. They prefer the flat parts of the island, called alluvial plains, which are formed by rivers coming from the mountains. Read- Cock-of-the-Rock Interesting Information With Picture
Victoria Crowned Pigeon |
Scientific Name Of Victoria Crowned Pigeon
The scientific name of the Victoria Crowned Pigeon is Goura victoria. The Victoria Crowned Pigeon was listed as Vulnerable on the ICUN Red List of Threatened/Endangered Species in 2004. It is also listed on Appendix 2 of CITES.
The number of Victoria Crowned Pigeons is continuously declining and they are listed in Near Endangered conservation status. Today there is a need to save their population.
Habitat Of The Victoria Crowned Pigeon
The habitat of the Victoria Crowned Pigeon Goura victoriae is made up of lowland, swampy forests and is usually found at low elevations near sea level.
However, sometimes they reach the top of some hills and go up to an altitude of 3,000 feet (914 meters).
The Victoria Crowned Pigeon is a ground dwelling bird, mostly found in coastal areas but traveling daily back and forth from the sea to the sago forests in the northern part of New Guinea.
The Victoria Crowned Pigeon Was Named In Honor Of Queen Victoria
The Victoria Crowned Pigeon is the largest species of pigeon on earth and this pigeon was named in honor of the British monarch, Queen Victoria.
Crowned pigeons were considered beautiful when first introduced by English naturalist James Francis Stephens (1792-1852) in 1819. He therefore named one of the species of this genus after the British monarch, Queen Victoria
What Does A Victoria Crowned Pigeon Look Like
The Victoria Crowned Pigeon is a large, blue-grey pigeon with a blue crest, maroon breast and red eyes. It is part of a species of very large, ground-dwelling pigeons (Goura) native to the New Guinea region.
The Victoria Crowned Pigeons have a dark blue-grey body, and they have a small mask. It has a white-tipped feather crest and red eyes. It has a dark purple and maroon chest with blue-grey feathers with maroon tips.
Their red eyes make Victoria Crowned Pigeons an extremely beautiful species. These birds are known for their attractive crest. Victoria Crowned Pigeon This bird can easily be described as one of the most beautiful pigeons in the world.
Victoria Crowned Pigeons can be considered cute because of their soft feathers and beautiful crest. They are very innocent in appearance and are afraid of approaching humans.
Victoria Crowned Pigeon An Intelligent Bird
Victoria Crowned Pigeons are known to be intelligent and easy to tame. This bird is docile in nature, which is why it is often a center of attraction in zoos.
Victoria Crowned Pigeons are often left to roam freely in the field and seem to be happiest when they forage and roam the ground.
This bird can fly short distances, but will only fly when necessary, usually when startled, in danger, or when needing to roost high in the trees for the night. Read- Top 22 Interesting Facts And Life Cycle Of Butterfly
Victoria Crowned Pigeon |
What Do Victoria Crowned Pigeons Eat
Victoria Crowned Pigeons usually consume seeds, leaves, and flowers for their diet, but they sometimes hunt invertebrates such as insects.
Victoria Crowned Pigeons mainly feed on fallen fruits. The most popular food of these birds is figs, a type of fruit that they can eat all day long.
Victoria Crowned Pigeons have no natural predators, but their feathers and meat are very expensive in the market, due to which they are constantly hunted by humans, resulting in a constant decline in their population.
Size And Weight Of Victoria Crowned Pigeon
Another distinctive feature of the Victoria Crowned Pigeon is the huge size of these birds. The length of the male bird is between 73 and 75 cm (29 and 30 inches).
Some birds can exceed 80 cm (31 inches) in length. It weighs an average of about 2.39 kg with some birds reaching up to 3.5 kg.
The wingspan is between 36 and 39 cm (14 and 15 in) and the tail length is between 27 and 30.1 cm (10.6 and 11.9 in). The beak can be between 3.2 and 3.5 centimetres (1.3 and 1.4 in) in length.
How Victoria Crowned Pigeons Communicate
Both males and females are very similar in appearance. Males behave dominantly over others, but this aggression is limited to the mating season only.
The Victoria Crowned Pigeon is one of the most popular birds kept in zoos. This means that they are admired anywhere in the world.
The Victoria Crowned Pigeon has a deep, muffled and human-like 'umm' or 'hmm' sound. They make a very loud noise when flying and make a deep 'hoota-hoota-hoota-hoota' sound during mating. The Victoria Crowned Pigeon makes sounds like 'whoop-up, whoop-up, whoop-up' when defending their territories.
How Fast Can The Victoria Crowned Pigeon Fly
The Victoria Crowned Pigeon has a low flight speed compared to other birds. The biggest threat to the Victoria Crowned Pigeon species is habitat loss.
The Victoria Crowned Pigeon is now the rarest of the three crowned pigeon species in the wild, although it is the most widely kept species in cages.
The Victoria Crowned Pigeon is now rarely found near human settlements because of heavy hunting around them. The Victoria Crowned Pigeon is fearful of humans in the wild, hunting is mostly for their feathers and meat.
Victoria Crowned Pigeon Nests And Eggs
Victoria Crowned Pigeons pair in a nuptial fashion, meaning they have the same partner for life. Their breeding season occurs late in the wet season and peaks in the dry season. The Victoria Crowned Pigeon is not only spectacular to look at, but its courtship is equally interesting.
The male approaches the female. When the male displays to attract the female, he lowers his head, walks forward, and then bobs his head up and down while wagging his tail.
The male brings nesting material to the female. The female lays a single white egg in a well-constructed nest usually made of stems, twigs, and palm fronds.
The eggs are incubated for about 30 days. The chicks are altricial, meaning they are helpless, blind, and require parental care. Both the male and female help raise the young.
The young leave the nest but are still too small to be seen by their parents. They are actively cared for for a total of 13 weeks.
How Many Victoria Crowned Pigeons Are There In The World
Victoria Crowned Pigeon Unfortunately, these birds are listed as Near-Endangered on the IUCN Red List. It is believed that only 10,000 to 20,000 birds are still roaming the dense forests of New Guinea and surrounding islands today.
How Long Do Victoria Crowned Pigeons Live
The lifespan of Victoria Crowned Pigeon is longer than other birds and can live for about 20-25 years.
Behavior Of Victoria Crowned Pigeon
This species of Victoria Crowned Pigeons is not dangerous, but due to excessive hunting by humans, they mostly prefer to stay away from humans.
Victoria Crowned Pigeons are social animals but are usually shy when it comes to humans. Victoria Crowned Pigeons are ground dwellers who roam the forest floor in search of food.
Victoria Crowned Pigeons are sociable birds. They usually travel in pairs or small groups in search of food. Victoria Crowned Pigeons spend most of their time on the ground and fly to trees when disturbed or to roost for the night.
Victoria Crowned Pigeon This bird is not solitary most of the time. You will not find them alone, as they are sociable animals that usually travel in pairs or small groups.
These pigeons have specific ways of communicating with each other and can produce different sounds for mating calls and to defend their territory.
Victoria Crowned Pigeon Facts For Kids
Can the Victoria Crowned Pigeon fly?
The Victoria Crowned Pigeon has a low flight speed compared to other birds.
What does the Victoria Crowned Pigeon look like?
The Victoria Crowned Pigeon is a large, blue-brown pigeon with a blue crest, maroon breast, and red eyes. It is part of a genus of very large, ground-dwelling pigeons (Goura) native to the New Guinea region.
What is the diet of the Victoria Crowned Pigeon?
Victoria Crowned Pigeons usually consume seeds, leaves, and flowers for their diet, but they occasionally prey on invertebrates such as insects.
Where does the Victoria Crowned Pigeon live?
The Victoria Crowned Pigeon is found in northern New Guinea and surrounding islands and parts of Indonesia. The Victoria Crowned Pigeon lives in lowland moist and swamp forests.
How big is the Victoria Crowned Pigeon?
Another distinctive feature of the Victoria Crowned Pigeon is the enormous size of these birds. The male bird is between 73 and 75 cm (29 and 30 inches) in length.
Is the Victoria Crowned Pigeon Rare?
Victoria Crowned Pigeon Unfortunately these birds are listed as Near-Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
How many Victoria Crowned Pigeons are left?
It is believed that there are only 10,000 to 20,000 birds still roaming the dense forests of New Guinea and surrounding islands.
Where can I find the Victoria Crowned Pigeon?
The Victoria Crowned Pigeon is found in northern New Guinea and surrounding islands and parts of Indonesia. The Victoria Crowned Pigeon lives in lowland moist and swamp forests.