Crested Pigeon

The Crested Pigeon is a widespread and familiar species across most of mainland Australia, easily recognized by its thin, upright black crest that rises from the top of the head. It has a soft gray-brown body with a pinkish wash on the breast and striking iridescent patches of green and purple on the folded wing coverts. When it takes flight, its wings produce a distinctive whistling sound caused by modified flight feathers.

• Crest feathers: thin, upright, and pointed, projecting from the crown, unlike the flatter or absent crests of other pigeon species
• Wing covert feathers: bold iridescent patches of green and purple, arranged in bands across the folded wing
• Flight feathers: certain outer primaries are modified and narrowed, producing an audible whistling or whirring sound in flight, a feature unique among common pigeons
• Body feathers: soft gray-brown with a pale pinkish wash across the breast
• Compare with the Spinifex Pigeon, which also has a crest but shows a much redder overall body color and different facial markings

Sexes look alike in plumage. Juveniles show a shorter, less developed crest and duller wing iridescence, gaining the full crest and vivid wing patches after their first molt. Adults undergo a complete annual molt, with the modified whistling flight feathers renewed along with the rest of the wing.

Crested Pigeons are found across most of mainland Australia, favoring open woodland, grassland, farmland, and increasingly urban parks and gardens. They are generally resident, having expanded their range significantly in many areas alongside agricultural development.

This pigeon forages on the ground for seeds, often in flocks, and is a common sight in both rural and urban Australian settings. Its wings produce a distinctive whistling sound on takeoff, thought to serve as an alarm signal to other birds nearby. Its call is a soft, low cooing. Nests are simple stick platforms built in trees or shrubs.