Avizandum Birdkeeping Magazine on Magnificent Crowned Pigeons
Crowned pigeons are all native to New Guinea. They are large birds with very noticeable dark blue-grey and purple coloring and lacy crest feathers, something that always makes them a top attraction for zoo visitors. All are about 680-740 mm long, weigh 2.5-3.2 kg, and the sexes are identical.
The blue-crowned pigeon (goura cristata) of northwestern New Guinea, Sclater’s crowned pigeon (goura scheepmakeri) of southeastern New Guinea and the gs slateri from S. New 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 brown, white, and gray. The pigeon shown here is most likely the goura scheepmakeri with pure white wing spots and no white on the crest. Victoria’s crowned pigeon (goura victoria victoria ) is found on the Japen/Jobi islands and is slightly smaller and darker in color than beccariiwhich is the largest and strongest subspecies with a broader crest.
Their crests are particularly striking for the white tips.
It is believed that the Indian Mahajaras were the first to keep crowned pigeons in captivity and apparently these birds were successfully kept alongside common poultry. Unfortunately, hunting and sport shooting have caused a decline in their numbers, so they are protected, although not in all areas.
These pigeons are not difficult to own and keep in aviaries. Their habitat is wooded areas where they feed on seeds, fruits and insects. In captivity they are opportunistic feeders, quite content with a selection of the following: insectivore and pheasant pellets, peanuts, whole corn, soft-billed mixes, diced mixed fruits, greens, diced carrots, figs (eg. Ficus macrophylla) and mealworms. Place your feeding dishes on the ground.
Pigeons like to nest in baskets or wire trays that are hung high in the aviary. As nesting material you can offer pine needles, palms, branches and leaves. They build their nest inside the basket or wire tray. Their breeding season is from January to September. Courtship and nest-building ceremonies are a delight to behold. Its deep and melodious call sounds like a beautiful jungle drum. A white egg is ugly and is incubated by the hen at night and the rooster by day for 30 days. The chick weighs 40 g at hatch and grows at an astonishing rate, reaching a mass of 600-700 g in 40 days. After 13 weeks they can feed themselves. Those who have treasured pigeons can have them feed on their own at 8 weeks of age.
A breeder keeps a pair of crowned pigeons for a large aviary as they are less distracting, healthier and breed better for him. He has found that they are aggressive towards medium sized pigeons, but other breeders keep more than one pair in a single enclosure. As long as the hosting 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 bird species such as pheasants, squishy birds, parrots, and other species of pigeons and pigeons. As long as there is sufficient vegetation cover, other ground-dwelling species need not be in danger, as these birds are not generally classified as aggressive. They spend most of their days on the ground, then roost high in trees at night. Wings should not be clipped, but keepers are asked to be aware of their inclination to wing-beat, a rather unpleasant experience. Coming from a temperate climate, these pigeons should not be exposed to the cold, especially frost.
References: Morris, Chris Ph.D, That Magnificent Crowned Pigeons of New Guinea, “Game Bird and Conservationists’ Gazette”, Utah, USA, June 1998, p.4
Delacour, Dr. Jean, Wild Pigeons and Doves, tfh, 1980
Brown, Danny, Guide to Pigeons, Turtle Doves and Quail, Australia Birdkeeper, 1995