19-3-2015 SINGAPORE - WESTERN CROWNED PIGEON (Goura cristata)

The western crowned pigeon (Goura cristata), also known as the common crowned pigeon or blue crowned pigeon, is a large, blue-grey pigeon with blue lacy crests over the head and dark blue mask feathers around its eyes. Both sexes are almost similar but males are often larger than females. It is on average 70 cm (28 in) long and weighs 2.1 kg (4.6 lbs).

Along with its close and very similar-looking relatives the Victoria crowned pigeon, Sclater's crowned pigeon, and Scheepmaker's crowned pigeon, it is one of the largest members of the pigeon family. The western crowned pigeon is found in and is endemic to the lowland rainforests of northwestern New Guinea; the other species of crowned pigeon inhabit different regions of the island. The diet consists mainly of fruits and seeds.

Hunted for food and its plumes, it remains common only in remote areas. Due to ongoing habitat loss, limited range and overhunting in some areas, the western crowned pigeon is evaluated as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed in Appendix II of CITES.

The western crowned pigeon was first described by the German naturalist Peter Simon Pallas in 1764 and given the binomial name Columba cristata. A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2018 found that the western crowned pigeon was most closely related to Sclater's crowned pigeon (Goura sclaterii).

Western crowned pigeons are one of the largest species of pigeon. They are also called blue crowned pigeons.

The Common or Western Crowned Pigeon is one of four species of Crowned Pigeons. It is not very "common" and is native to lowland forests of Irian Jaya/West Papua, Indonesia.

It does not have feathered tips to its crest like the Victoria, it has no black chinstrap and does not have a maroon chest or under-parts, only a top mantle.

Hunting for its lacy plumes, for meat and for captive trade in addition to habitat destruction have made it vulnerable.

Pigeons have an unusual way of drinking. Most birds scoop water and tilt their heads back to drink, but pigeons can suck water into their bill.

They spend most of their time on the ground and rarely fly. They are believed to be the closest living relative to the now extinct dodo. Dodos were a large, flightless species of pigeon that was hunted to extinction.

These birds, like other pigeons, produce a semi-solid substance known as “crop milk” to feed their chicks. It is secreted from their crop which is a pouch near their throat. Both males and females produce crop milk.