Victoria crowned pigeon

Goura victoria

The Victoria crowned pigeon is a large pigeon of New Guinea lowland forests. Diurnal pairs walk the forest floor in search of fallen fruit.

Key facts

Victoria crowned pigeon (Goura victoria) is a herbivore animal classified as Bird · Columbiformes · Columbidae.
Primary habitats are forest, with a range across Australasian.
Activity is diurnal, sociality is pair, and conservation status is NT (Near Threatened).
The Victoria crowned pigeon is a large pigeon of New Guinea lowland forests.
It uses humid lowland forest, swamp forest, and edges.
Typical lifespan: 8-25 years

Habitat range map

Native rangeOccasional / Transient

Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)

It uses humid lowland forest, swamp forest, and edges. Fruit-rich forest floor and low branches for refuge are important.

Wingspan is about 70-80 cm and weight about 2-3.5 kg. A blue-gray body, fan-shaped crest, red eyes, and rounded wings are distinctive.

Active by day, it walks slowly on the ground in pairs or small groups. When disturbed, it flies up to low branches for safety.

It is herbivorous, eating fallen fruit, seeds, and nuts. It picks food from leaf litter across the forest floor.

Pairs build stick nests in trees and guard the egg and chick. Adults feed the young with crop milk.

Its status is listed as Near Threatened. Hunting pressure and loss of lowland forest are important concerns.