‘Crested Pigeon (C)Robert Black 2015 birdlifephotography.org.au’
Crested Pigeon – (C) Georgina Steytler
Habitat at a Glance
See Habitat Guide for more detail
Shelter: Nest built in large trees and shrubs
Diet: Seeds, fruits, and insects
Water: Bird baths and frog ponds
ReWild Benefit: Seed dispersion
Habitat Guide - Shelter
Natural Shelter
Crested Pigeons build unimpressive nests made of loosely organised twigs, grasses, and strips of bark. Clumping grasses, leaflitter, mulch, and groundcovers in the garden can provide natural materials for nesting birds.
A garden planted with diverse trees and large shrubs including banksias, paperbarks, eucalypts, and bottlebrushes can provide suitable nesting sites.
Novel Shelter
Not required.
Habitat Guide - Food and Water
Providing natural sources of food
Crested Pigeons eat fruits, seeds, and the occasional insect. Plant a variety of native grasses next to tall shrubs and trees to provide food, protection, nesting material and nest sites.
It is not recommended to throw birdseed out for native birds. It can be detrimental to their health and may spread weed species around the garden and neighbourhood.
Providing sources of water
Crested Pigeons prefer to live reasonably close to water and drink and bathe daily. They can congregate in small flocks to drink at bird baths and native frog ponds in summer.
ReWild Benefits
Crested Pigeons keep our biodiversity ticking as they disperse seeds around the ecosystem. Visit BirdLife Australia to learn more about these native birds and record any sightings via Birdata to help scientists monitor their population.
