Victoria crowned-pigeon  (Goura victoria)

This gregarious pigeon forages on the forest floor in groups of two to ten individuals, and roosts in shrubs and trees at night (2) (4). Diet consists of fallen fruit, berries and seeds (4), as well as the occasional snail (6).

Crowned pigeons are monogamous and tend to mate for life (6). Male Victoria crowned-pigeons display courtship behaviour involving bowing of the head and tail movements (8), with captive birds observed to start breeding from 15 months old (2). The female usually lays a single egg per clutch, which both the male and female incubate for around 30 days (7). Juveniles fledge at four weeks, but parents continue to feed them until around 13 weeks old (8). Pigeons, together only with flamingos, have an unusual ability among birds to produce milk. Termed ‘crop milk', this secretion is produced by both sexes and forms the complete diet of nestlings during their first few days of life (7).