ANIMAL: Victoria Crowned Pigeon Goura victoria Type of Animal: Pigeon/Dove Habitat: Swamp forest, lowland forest, sago forest, drier forest, coastal forest, near estuaries & swamps Location(s): New Guinea & some Indonesian islands Appearance: Largest of the pigeons, beautiful w/ gorgeous crest & bluish coloration w/ purple underwing. Deep purple-maroon chest. Red eye present in both sexes. Food/Diet: Seeds, fruit (particularly figs), invertebrates, grains, berries Status in Wild: Threatened Conservation: Breeding from zoos & aviculture Lifestyle: Found in flocks of up to 10 birds for most of year. Breaks off into monogamous pairs during breeding/nesting season. Additional Info: Called: Male-Cock Female-Hen Young-Squab Group-Flock Weight: Male-5 lbs Female-4.8 lbs Young-1.6 lbs Gestation: 30 days Height: 2.4 ft Body Length: Adult-2 ft Young-0.6 ft Life Span: 20 years in wild, 25-30 years in captivity Tail Length: 0.5 ft Threatened due to bird/pet trade, habitat loss, logging, & hunting for meat/feathers/crest. They breed 3 times a year, producing 1 chick each. Chick stays w/ parents for up to 3 months. During courtship, male fans feathers & ducks head low. They usually run rather than fly to escape human hunters. Makes loud clapping sound when it takes flight. Like most pigeons/doves but unlike most birds, drink by sucking up water into bills rather than scooping up water & tilting heads back. Spend most of their time on the ground. Fun Fact(s): Popular in pet/bird trade due to beauty. They’re known to be quite intelligent. Pigeons, along w/ flamingos only birds to produce “crop milk”, which is secretion produced by both sexes to form the diet of nestlings for their 1st few days. Named for Queen Victoria due to regal look. Exhibits large variety of vocalizations such as loud booms to warn mates of danger & rumbles to designate breeding/nesting territory. To defend themselves, they’ll puff out feathers making themselves look bigger. If that doesn’t work, they’ll whack threat w/ wings.
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