Victoria Crowned Pigeon - Life History

Life History

Like other crowned pigeons, the Victoria Crowned Pigeon is a gregarious species. They usually travel in pairs or small parties as they search for food. They walk with an unhurried gait along the forest floor. Their prey typically consists of fallen fruit. Birds of this species in captivity are particularly found of eating figs. Seeds and invertebrates may occasionally supplement the diet. When disturbed, these birds flight straight up onto the canopy or a large horizontal branch of a large forest tree. After being distubred, they may remain still on their perch for a considerable time engaging in contact calls and flick their tail. In the wild, this species tends to be shier than the Western Crowned Pigeon, but can still occasionally be quietly approached. The males regularly engage in aggressive displays in order to establish dominance. In these interactions, the pigeons puff up the chest and repeatedly raise their wings as if preparing to strike their opponent. They will also make short dashes at each other and may actually hit one another, but rarely make contact and can be completely peaceful towards other males outside of the early mating season.