Crested Pigeons, Botanic Park, Adelaide
Crested Pigeon, Botanic Park, Adelaide
Crested Pigeons are one of my favourite birds. We have a number resident in our garden and they have even nested several times within a few metres of our house. When the breeding season has been successful I have seen up to 35 Crested Pigeons sitting on the power lines running past our property. Elsewhere in Murray Bridge I have even seen about 60 in a loose flock sitting on power lines along the road.
Crested Pigeon, Botanic Park, Adelaide
Crested Pigeons are widespread throughout Australia except for the driest parts of the inland, southern Victoria and they are absent from Tasmania. They are also largely absent from the northern most parts of Australia. This distribution is changing and some Crested Pigeons can be found in the Melbourne region, for example, something that was rare as recent as a decade ago.
Crested Pigeon, Botanic Park, Adelaide
Crested Pigeons are ground feeders and can often be seen feeding in parks in loose flocks numbering in the dozens. This is the case in Botanic Park between the Adelaide Botanic Gardens and the Adelaide Zoo where the photos on this post were taken.
Crested Pigeon, Botanic Park, Adelaide
The birds in these photos were busy displaying to one another, more interested in breeding than in my wife and I having afternoon tea in beautiful park on a lovely spring afternoon.
Further reading:
- Crested Pigeon nesting
- Crested Pigeons by the dozens
- Birds in the garden plus one reptile
- A panic of pigeons
- Crested Pigeons as pet birds (one of my most popular articles)
- A crested Pigeon caught by surprise
Botanic Park, Adelaide
I love Crested Pigeons as well and they seem to be spreading their territories around southern Australia. There never used to be any in my suburb not so long ago, but now there are quite a few families. Also, they are great to study and to watch their interactions with each other.
Hi there again Brenton,
The spread of Crested Pigeons in Australia has been well documented. It continues as they move more and more into urban areas.
Most of my life has been spent in rural SA and I’ve always had them around wherever I’ve lived so I personally haven’t noticed this movement.
They are a beautiful bird to have around.
Crested pigeons are one of my favourite birds too! We usually have flocks of 30+ in our scrub nesting in old trees on flimsy branches. Amazing how the nest and chicks stay in!
They also usually display courtship dances while having a drink in the birdbath then rest in our long, cool grass on a hot day.
And! I love how they “suck” the water up unlike other birds where they scope the water up.
Hi there Daniel.
Thanks for stopping by and for leaving a comment.
Pigeons and doves are unique in the bird world in their drinking style. As you say, they suck up the water instead of scooping the water or filling their bill and then lifting their heads like most other species.
Crested pigeons arrived in Blacktown within the last decade. I never saw them before that. I guess they took some time to get through the sandstone curtain. They hang around in a mob with the spotted doves. If I spread seed on a high table and the ground, the crested pigeons are most likely to head for the ground first. If there is a mixed row of them on the railway wires over the back fence, it is usually the crested pigeons who will come down first for a feed. They don’t seem to realise how dangerous life can be in the big city.
They spend a lot of time perched on the top rail of the colourbond fence at the end of our backyard. I find it quite interesting to watch the males trying to approach the females along this rail.
Thanks for your comments Ken. Crested Pigeons are certainly expanding their range and this has been well documented by researchers over the last century or so. In some areas they are now in large numbers where even a decade ago they were absent.
hello Trevor,I’m currently studying at MAPS film school and will soon be creating a documentary about the pigeon population in the city of Adelaide. I’m just wondering if you would be interested in being interviewed for the upcoming production?
Hi there Tobias,
Thanks for your comments.
I would be interested in being interviewed, depending on what was involved, when and where.
Can you reply via the email contact form at the top of each page on this site – or via http://www.trevorsbirding.com/contact/