- Western Crowned Pigeon
Taxobox
name = Western Crowned Pigeon
status = VU | status_system = IUCN3.1
trend = down
image_width = 240px
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo =Columbiformes
familia = Columbidae
genus = "Goura"
species = "G. cristata"
binomial = "Goura cristata"
binomial_authority = (Pallas, 1764)The Western Crowned Pigeon or Common Crowned Pigeon, "Goura cristata", is a large, turkey-sized, approximately 75cm long, 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.Along with its close and very similar looking relatives the
Victoria Crowned Pigeon and theSouthern Crowned Pigeon , it is one of the largest and is consideredone of the most beautiful members of thepigeon family. The Western Crowned Pigeon is found and endemic to thelowland rainforests of Papua,Indonesia section ofNew 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 ofCITES .Gallery
References
* Database entry includes a range map and justification for why this species is vulnerable
External links
* ARKive - [http://www.arkive.org/species/GES/birds/Goura_cristata/ images and movies of the Western Crowned Pigeon "(Goura cristata)"]
* [http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=2754&m=0 BirdLife Species Factsheet]
* [http://www.redlist.org/search/details.php?species=9412 IUCN Red List]
* [http://www.rdb.or.id/detailbird.php?id=67 Red Data Book]
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