Wonga Pigeon

Scientific Name: Leucosarcia melanoleuca

Did You Know?

The wonga pigeon is usually heard rather than seen. It is quite a secretive bird but calls with a short, high-pitched ‘coo’, which is repeated every second or so for long periods of time.

A beautiful, robust pigeon with a pastel blue-grey back, fading to creamy-white on the front of the head. The underside is white, usually dotted with dark grey spots and blotches. The legs are distinctively red. Males and females cannot be distinguished externally.

Habitat:

Much of the wonga pigeon’s time is spent on the ground foraging beneath rainforest and wet eucalypt forest trees. It is an eastern Australian species ranging from central Queensland to eastern Victoria.

Diet:

Fruit, berries and seeds of native forest trees, most of which is collected on the ground after it has fallen.

Reproduction:

Two large eggs up to 4cm in length are laid in a twig platform up to 30cm across. The nest is usually located anywhere from 3-20m above the ground.