Description
Distinctive tall, pointed crest on top of head. Rufous brown, with dark barring on back and wings. Black and white bar across chest, belly whitish. Face has a red band from the bill through the eye, bordered above by black and then blue-grey, bordered below by white then blue-grey. Juveniles duller, with a shorter crest.
A mostly ground-dwelling pigeon that walks with a distinctive strut. Usually seen in pairs or small groups. Resident. Forages on the ground for seeds, also some leaves and invertebrates. At night it roosts on the ground. Pairs possibly bond for life. May breed at any time, largely in response to rain. The nest is built on the ground or in Spinifex; it is a scoop in the ground, bare or lined with Spinifex stems, about 13 cm across. Females lay 2 whitish eggs. Both parents probably build the nest, incubate eggs and feed the young. Incubation 16-18 days. Young are independent by 1 month old.
Author credit: Lindley McKay
Habitat
Drier open habitats, especially rocky areas with Spinifex, not far from water.
Food
Omnivore
Range
Northern Australia.
Credits:
Map is from Atlas of Living Australia website at https://biocache.ala.org.au licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Species Description is from Museums Field Guide, Atlas of Living Australia at website at https://lists.ala.org.au Licensed under Creative Commons Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Classification
| Class: | Aves | | Order: | Columbiformes | | Family: | Columbidae | | Genus: | Geophaps | | Species: | plumifera | | Common Name: | Spinifex Pigeon |
Relatives in same Genus
Squatter Pigeon (G. scripta)
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