Fun Bronzewing Pigeon Facts For Kids

The bronzewing pigeon is from the family of Columbidae and is a native species to the Australian range. The various subspecies are widespread across different regions of the Australian range like some might be found in drier, semiarid, or arid regions whereas some can also be found in urban sides.

These birds are known to inhabit various kinds of habitats like open grasslands and woodlands. Exceptions being heavy rainforests and barren areas. These birds can be seen in pairs or flocks but sometimes, also alone.

The breeding patterns and seasons of this bird depend on the various subspecies but certain common things about the reproduction process of these birds include two white eggs are laid and incubation takes place for about 16 days. Feeding of the chicks is taken care of by the parents.

The nests of certain subspecies can be placed on shrubs or trees, like the common bronzewing or just a scrape in the ground. Some male and female bronzewings build their nests using twigs and sticks.

The appearance features that all the bronzewing pigeon birds share include bronze to brown-green color and iridescent red, blue, or green wing patches which makes these birds easy to identify. Other features are specific to the subspecies as some might be small and some large.

For instance, the common bronzewing is medium-large and bulky and the forehead of male adults is yellow-white and has pink breasts. The male and the female tend to have a white line near the eye. The young birds are paler than the adults.

The diet of the bronzewing pigeon birds is herbivorous and they are known to be ground feeders. They are also known to be very quiet and peaceful while browsing and feed on seeds mainly. They are also known to be feed on vegetable matter sometimes. Most of the types are known to be ground-dwelling.

It is very fascinating to learn about this beautiful bird and if you are interested, read about Nicobar pigeon and pigeon guillemot, too.

Bronzewing Pigeon Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a bronzewing pigeon?

The bronzewing pigeon is a type of bird.

What class of animal does a bronzewing pigeon belong to?

It is placed under the class of Aves of birds.

How many bronzewing pigeons are there in the world?

There is no total estimation of the global population of this bird species.

Where does a bronzewing pigeon live?

The group of bronzewing pigeons is known to be native to Australia but the specific geographic range depends on the subspecies. For instance, the flock bronzewing is found in the drier regions of Australia. The flock bronzewings are known to move around grasslands and are found in the northern part of the continent.

Crested pigeons are known to be widespread and thus, common. These pigeons can be spotted commonly in small flocks in open grasslands and woodlands and are known to be found quite close to the water.

The spinifex pigeons are small species and noticeably crested and bronze-reddish in color. This species is found in semiarid and arid regions of the northern part of Australia.

The partridge pigeon is known to be a duller species and can only be found in pairs or small flocks and is found in northern Western Australia and the northern part of the Northern Territory.

The squatter pigeon range is limited to the eastern part of Queensland and the northeastern part of New South Wales.

What is a bronzewing pigeon's habitat?

These pigeons are known to inhabit almost all types of habitats. The common ones are grasslands and forests. The exception to their habitat is dense rainforests and barren areas.

Who does a bronzewing pigeon live with?

Most species of bronzewing pigeons are known to be spotted in pairs, alone, or in small flocks.

How long does a bronzewing pigeon live?

The exact lifespan of this bird is not known.

How do they reproduce?

The breeding season and patterns depend on the subspecies of this bird. Some male and female bronzewings build nests with sticks and twigs, whereas, for some, it is just a scrape in the ground.

For some subspecies, like the common bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera), nests are placed in shrubs or trees. Around two eggs are laid and these are white eggs and incubation is known to take about 16 days. Feeding of the chicks is done by parents.

As the brush bronzewings nest on the ground, they get preyed upon by foxes and feral cats.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of these birds depends on the subspecies.

Bronzewing Pigeon Fun Facts

What do bronzewing pigeons look like?

The specific description of the species might differ based on various subspecies, but in general, these birds are known to be brown-green or bronze in dull light but might look brighter in the sun as it moves and has unique iridescent wing patches which could be blue, red or green in color.

The most common subspecies found, that is, the common bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera) has a dull yellow to the yellow-white forehead and pink-colored breasts.

The juveniles are known to be duller than the adults and comparatively browner, too.

The male and female of the common bronzewing have a prominent white line around the eye. These birds can be easily spotted because of their wing patch.

How cute are they?

These birds are considered cute due to their colors.

How do they communicate?

Communication of these pigeons takes place just like other birds, that is, through various types of sounds and calls. The call of the common bronzewing is known to be a mournful 'whooo'. The call of the brush bronzewing is high-pitched and faster.

How big is a bronzewing pigeon?

The size of the bronzewing pigeon differs from subspecies to subspecies. The length of the common bronzewing is 12–14 in (30-36 cm) which is similar or sometimes slightly larger than that of a ringneck dove and it is also larger than a common ground dove.

How fast can a bronzewing pigeon fly?

The exact flying speed of this pigeon is not known, but it is known to have quite a fast flight.

How much does a bronzewing pigeon weigh?

The weight of the bronzewing pigeon differs from subspecies to subspecies.

What are the male and female names of the species?

Males and females of this species do not have any particular names.

What would you call a baby bronzewing pigeon?

Baby birds in general, are referred to as chicks, juveniles, or young birds.

What do they eat?

The diet of the bronzewing pigeons is herbivorous and they are known to be ground feeders and tend to feed on seeds and vegetable matter.

Are they dangerous?

These pigeons are not considered to be dangerous. These birds are known to be peaceful and quiet browsers and if an intruder approaches, it tends to be still for some time as its brown color camouflages with the ground and leaf litter.

If the intruder seems to be coming near, it takes off with a very loud feather and wing clapping noise.

Would they make a good pet?

Not a lot of information is there about these pigeons as pets, but it is believed that pigeons, in general, make manageable pets.

Did you know...

There are quite a few members of the bronzewing pigeon groups, namely, common bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera), brush bronzewing (Phaps elegans), flock bronzewing (Phaps histrionica), crested pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes), spinifex pigeon (Geophaps plumifera), partridge pigeon (Geophaps smithii) and squatter pigeon (Geophaps scripta).

The common bronzewing is known to be a bulky and large pigeon found in almost all parts of Australia and is also quite common in urban areas.

The brush bronzewing is considered to be an uncommon species and thought to be a threatened species. It is known to be comparatively smaller than the common bronzewing and is also believed to be a secretive species.

Does Australia have native pigeons?

Australia is known to have almost 20 native species of pigeons. Some of the native Australian species include the emerald dove, diamond dove, spotted turtle dove, laughing turtle dove, topknot pigeon, and rock dove.

Are bronze wing pigeons protected?

It has been recorded that this native Australian species, that is, the bronzewing pigeon is not protected.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our whiskered screech owl facts and argus pheasant facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable types of birds coloring pages.