From Opus

Photo by jimmclean
Sydney, Australia, March 2005

Ocyphaps lophotes

Geophaps lophotes

[edit] Identification

[edit] Similar Species

The smaller Spinifex Pigeon is the only other Australian pigeon with a crest.

[edit] Distribution

This Australian endemic is found widely throughout mainland Australia apart from far northern tropical areas.

[edit] Taxonomy

Howard and Moore and Gill and Donsker, following Christidis and Boles 1994, classify this species in genus Ocyphaps. It was formerly placed in Geophaps.

[edit] Subspecies

There are 2 subspecies:^[1]

• O. l. whitlocki:

• Arid woodlands and plains of western Australia

• O. l. lophotes:

• Central and eastern Australia

[edit] Habitat

Found almost every where, in urban and rural parks and gardens. Sports field, paddocks and on the beach.

[edit] Behaviour

A resident species. Mainly seen in flocks, though occasionally in pairs.

[edit] Flight

These pigeons take to the air with a characteristic whistling flight, and glide with down turned wings. The whistling sound is produced by the air passing over a modified primary feather on the wing. On lading the tail is raised. They have a similar flight patter to the Spotted Turtle-Dove.

[edit] Vocalisation

Call: "Woop woop"

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2010. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2010. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/Clements%206.5.xls/view
2. Wikipedia
3. BF Member observations

• List of references

[edit] External Links