Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files we’re talking about crowned pigeons. Subscribe to join our flock, and thank you to Pratibha Verma for today’s request! Just to be clear, we’re talking about the crowned pigeons that have awesome head-dresses and not the ones that look like they just finished up with their bar mitzvah. Also, the crowned pigeons we’re discussing today are pretty freaking big - like the size of a female turkey big. Crowned pigeons are actually the largest living pigeons in the world, standing more than two feet (60 centimeters) tall and weighing more than four and a half pounds (2 kilograms). They’re also technically doves, but we’ve already talked about this in a previous episode!

There are four recognized species of crowned pigeons, though they all look pretty similar with soft blue grey feathers and crazy headgear. All four species are found in New Guinea and the surrounding islands, and, in spite of being kind of heavy for birds, their bulk isn’t really a hindrance. These pigeons generally prefer to stay on the ground only really taking to trees to avoid danger and to roost for the night. Crowned pigeons live in forests, swamps, and marshes, often hanging out in really dense foliage, meaning they almost always have plenty of food around. Figs are probably their favorite food, but they also eat other fruits, seeds, and sometimes bugs. In turn, crowned pigeons are hunted by humans for their feathers and meat. Their populations are also at risk due to habitat loss. If it feels like we say this a lot on this show, it’s because this is a big problem just about everywhere. Like their extinct relatives, the dodos, crowned pigeons could get wiped out in the wild if we aren’t careful!

If they can avoid the dinner table, they average about 25 years of age, though those kept in captivity tend to live longer. They start breeding usually within their first year or two and generally mate for life, but we all know how birds can be. Looking at you swans. To attract a mate, the boys give deep booming calls. The calls are especially important considering how dense the vegetation within their home may be as the can travel rather far. They’ll also put on feather displays. With a headdress like that it would be inappropriate if they didn’t. Also, just as an FYI, the females look really similar to the males. If a lady is accepting, she’ll lift up her wings and run in circles around him. Birds are great, y’all.

The boys bring sticks and the girls make nests - usually on the ground,sometimes in trees. The girls generally lay a single egg and both parents incubate the eggs for about thirty days. It takes around a month for the baby to leave the nest, but it’ll keep coming back for that good old pigeon milk for another two months or so. Mmm. Pigeon milk. The best for your morning coffee.

Often crowned pigeons travel in groups and sometimes they’ll spar each other over ladies or just because. I mean, they’re birds, what do you expect?

For more facts on crowned pigeons, check out the links in the description! Give a thumbs up if you learned something new today, and thank you for watching Animal Fact Files!