Pets

Avizandum Birdkeeping Magazine on Magnificent Crowned Pigeons

Crowned pigeons are all native to New Guinea. They are large birds with a very noticeable dark grayish blue and violet color and lacy crest feathers, something that always makes them a main attraction for visitors to zoos. They are all roughly 680-740mm long, weigh 2.5-3.2kg, and the sexes are identical.

The blue-crowned pigeonGoura cristata) from northwestern New Guinea, Sclater’s crowned pigeon (Goura scheepmakeri) of southeastern New Guinea and the Gs sclateri of S. Nueva Guinea do not have white tips on the crest feathers. They all differ slightly in their sizes, shades of gray and blue, and the amount and areas of chestnut, white, and gray. The pigeon shown here is probably the Goura scheepmakeri with pure white wing patches and no white on its crest. Victoria’s crowned pigeonGoura victory victory ) is found in the Japen / Jobi islands and is slightly smaller and darker in color than Gv beccarii, which is the largest and strongest subspecies with a wider crest.

Their crests are particularly striking because of the white tips.

The Indian Mahajaras are believed to have been the first to keep crowned pigeons in captivity and apparently these birds were successfully kept alongside common poultry. Hunting and sport shooting, unfortunately, has caused a decrease in their numbers so that they are protected, although not in all areas.

These pigeons are not difficult to keep and keep in aviaries. Their habitat is wooded areas where they feed on seeds, fruits and insects. In captivity they are opportunistic feeders, very happy with a selection of the following: insectivore and pheasant pellets, peanuts, whole corn, soft-billed mixes, mixed diced fruits, vegetables, diced carrots, figs (eg. Ficus macro-phylla) and mealworms. Place your food plates on the floor.

Pigeons like to nest in wire baskets or trays that are hung high up in the aviary. Pine needles, palms, twigs and leaves can be offered as nesting material. They build their nest inside the wire basket or tray. Their breeding season is from January to September. The courtship and nest building ceremonies are a delight to behold. Its deep, melodious call sounds like a beautiful jungle drum. The hen lays an egg white and incubates it overnight and the rooster during the day for 30 days. The chick weighs 40g at hatch and grows at an astonishing rate, reaching a mass of 600-700g in 40 days. After 13 weeks, they can feed themselves. Those who have hand-reared pigeons can have them feed themselves at 8 weeks of age.

A breeder has a pair of large aviary crowned pigeons, as they are less distracted, healthier, and breed better for him. You have found them aggressive towards medium sized pigeons, but other breeders keep more than one pair in a single enclosure. As long as the accommodation is spacious enough that they don’t interact negatively, it seems to work well enough. Another source claims that they are compatible with many other species of birds such as pheasants, soft beaks, parrots, and other species of pigeons and pigeons. As long as there is sufficient vegetative cover, other soil-dwelling species need not be endangered, as these birds are generally not classified as aggressive. They spend most of their days on the ground and then perch high in the trees at night. Their wings should not be clipped, but keepers are asked to be aware of their inclination to wing-strike, a rather unpleasant experience. Coming from a temperate climate, these pigeons should not be exposed to cold, especially frost.

References: Morris, Chris Ph.D, Those Magnificent New Guinea Crowned Pigeons, “Game Bird and Conservationists’ Gazette”, Utah, USA, June 1998, p. 4

Delacour, Dr. Jean, Pigeons and Wild Pigeons, tfh, 1980

Brown, Danny, A Guide to Pigeons, Pigeons and Quail, Australina Birdkeeper, 1995

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