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The crowned pigeon (Goura) belongs to the pigeon family, which includes 3 species. Externally, the species of pigeons are similar, differ only in areas. This species was described in 1819 by the English entomologist James Francis Stevens.
Description of the crowned pigeon
The crowned pigeon is one of the most beautiful and vibrant birds in the world, which is significantly different from its closest relative, the common rock dove.
First of all, the crowned pigeon attracts attention with an unusual tuft, which consists of feathers with tassels at the end, very similar to an openwork fan. The color is bright, depending on the type of pigeon: it can be purple, chestnut, blue or light blue. The tail consists of 15-18 long tail feathers, wide, rather long, rounded at the end. The body of a crowned pigeon is in the shape of a trapezoid, slightly streamlined, covered with short feathers. The neck is thin, graceful, the head is spherical, small. The eyes are red, the pupils are bronze. The wings of a pigeon are massive, strong, covered with feathers. Their color is slightly darker than on the body. The wingspan is about 40 cm. In flight, the noise of powerful wings is heard. The feet are scaly, with short toes and claws. The beak of a pigeon is pyramidal in shape, has a blunt tip, rather strong.
Features of the crowned pigeon:
- the appearance of the male and female does not differ much;
- differs from its relative of the rock dove in its large size (resembles a turkey);
- pigeon life expectancy is about 20 years (in captivity with proper care up to 15 years);
- non-migratory bird;
- in its natural habitat, the pigeon flies little and this is given to him quite hard;
- creates one pair for life.
The pigeon is named after Queen Victoria for its royal crest. The first birds of the crowned pigeon appeared in Europe in early 1900 and were settled in the Rotterdam Zoo.
Habitat
The homeland of the crowned pigeon is considered to be New Guinea and the islands closest to it - Biak, Yapen, Vaigeo, Seram, Salavati. The population in these places is about 10 thousand individuals. Some species live in Australia, which is why it is sometimes called the Australian pigeon.
Crowned pigeons live in small groups strictly on a certain territory, the boundaries of which are not violated. They inhabit both swampy areas, river floodplains, and dry places. Pigeons can often be found near farms where there is no shortage of food.
Varieties
In nature, there are 3 types of crowned pigeons:
- blue-crested;
- fan-shaped;
- chestnut-breasted.
The blue-crested crowned pigeon has a bright feature that distinguishes it from the other two species - a blue crest, there are no triangular tassels at the tips of the feathers. In addition, it is the largest species. Its weight reaches 3 kg, its height is about 80 cm. It inhabits only the southern part of New Guinea.
The fan-bearer is considered the brightest representative of the crowned pigeon. He attracts attention with his tuft, which resembles a fan. The color is brown-red. The weight of the pigeon is about 2.5 kg, the height is up to 75 cm. Of all the species, it is the rarest, since it is subject to extermination by poachers. Lives in the northern outskirts of New Guinea.
The chestnut-breasted crowned pigeon is the smallest: its weight is up to 2 kg, its height is about 70 cm. The color of the breast is brown (chestnut). The crest is blue, without triangular tassels. Lives in the central part of New Guinea.
Lifestyle
The crowned pigeon most often moves along the ground in search of food, trying not to rise high.It moves along the branches of trees with the help of its paws. Often sits swinging on a vine. These pigeons fly only when it is necessary to move to another habitat. When a danger arises, pigeons fly up to the lower branches of nearby trees, staying there for a long time, clicking their tail, transmitting danger signals to their fellows.
In stock, crowned pigeons have many different sounds, each of which has its own, special meaning: a sound to lure a female, a guttural sound to indicate the boundaries of its territory, a male's battle cry, an alarm signal.
Although this bird has no enemies in nature, due to its gullible nature, it often becomes a victim of predators or poachers. Pigeons are not shy, calm in relation to a person. They can accept treats and even allow themselves to be picked up.
Crowned pigeons are diurnal. Usually they are engaged in building a nest, searching for food. Couples try to make time for each other. Young pigeons live in groups together with older individuals, being under their supervision.
Food
Basically, crowned pigeons prefer plant foods: fruits, seeds, berries, nuts. They can pick fruits lying under trees on the ground. At the same time, pigeons do not rake the earth cover with their paws, which is completely uncharacteristic for birds of the pigeon family.
Occasionally they can feast on snails, insects, larvae, which are found under the bark of trees.
Like all birds, crowned pigeons love fresh greens. Sometimes they raid fields with new shoots.
Having exhausted food reserves completely in one territory, a flock of crowned pigeons moves to another area, richer in food resources.
When kept in captivity (zoos, nurseries, private dovecotes), the diet of pigeons consists of grain mixtures: millet, wheat, rice, and so on. They enjoy eating sunflower seeds, peas, corn, soybeans.
They are also fed boiled chicken yolk, fresh low-fat cottage cheese, carrots. Animal protein is important for pigeons to develop properly, so sometimes they are given boiled meat.
Reproduction
Crowned pigeons are monogamous. They create a couple for life, and if one of the partners dies, then the second, with a greater degree of probability, will be left alone. Before mating, pigeons carefully choose partners through mating games, which take place strictly on the territory of the flock. Males during the mating season behave somewhat aggressively: they inflate their breasts, loudly flap their wings, but, as a rule, it does not come to fights - these birds are quite peaceful.
The ritual of choosing a companion for crowned pigeons is as follows. Young males, making special sounds, attract females, bypassing the territory of their flock. Females of pigeons, flying over them and listening to the singing of males, find the most suitable one and descend to the ground nearby.
Further, having already formed a pair, crowned pigeons together choose a place for a future nest. Before equipping it, they just incubate it for some time, wanting to show the rest of the birds in the flock the place of the future home. Only after this does the mating process take place, and then the couple begins to build the nest. It is interesting that the female is busy with the arrangement, and the male obtains material suitable for the nest.
Crowned pigeons make their nests very high (6-10 m), despite their dislike for heights. Immediately after the end of construction, the female lays eggs. Most often in a single specimen, but in some cases, depending on the subspecies, 2-3 eggs. The entire hatching process, in which both parents take part, takes about a month. The female sits at night, and the father of the family during the day. They leave the nest only to get food, sometimes fly around the territory, showing that it is busy. During this period, the parents-to-be take care, look after each other, are together and treat the partner with goodies.
At the moment when the chicks appear, the female pigeon is inseparable in the nest, so the male has to get food for two. In the first week of life of chicks, the mother feeds them with regurgitated, digested food from her stomach. When the female is absent for a short time, the father feeds them in the same way. For parents, this is a rather difficult period. It is necessary to protect the babies from falling out of the nest, feed them, inspect the territory more often, warning of possible danger. A month later, the chicks have their first plumage, they try to fly, get their own food. For about 2 more years, young pigeons are under the care of their parents, living nearby.
Keeping in captivity
For keeping the crowned pigeon in captivity can be purchased in specialized nurseries. This pleasure is very expensive. This bird requires both economic and labor costs.
It must be remembered that the crowned pigeon is a tropical bird. It is necessary to build her a spacious enclosure and create comfortable conditions of detention. The aviary must be closed to avoid drafts, temperature changes, excessive humidity in the room. In the cold season, electric heating will be required, maintaining constant humidity.
For a pair of crowned pigeons, it is worth equipping a secluded place for a nest, hanging it as high as possible. Usually for pigeons in the room they put a high branchy snag and provide them with the building material necessary for arranging the nest. Everything in the aviary should resemble the natural habitat of birds - tropical forests.
Not all lovers of pigeons are able to keep them, but with a competent approach, if all conditions are created, birds can live and even breed in captivity.
Conclusion
The crowned pigeon is one of the rare species of the pigeon family in the wild, but is most commonly found in captivity. It is included in the "Red List" of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Catching for captivity, like hunting them, is strictly prohibited and punishable by law. But because of the bright plumage, poachers continue to hunt these birds. As a result, the population of crowned pigeons, despite all the laws, is rapidly declining.
