The topknot pigeon is a pigeon native to eastern Australia.
Topknot pigeon
Laminington Nat'l Park - Australia (flash photo)
Nesting topknot pigeon. Mating pairs observed to share responsibility of nest, Maleny, Queensland.
Topknot pigeon egg
Mountain pigeons are four species of birds in the genus Gymnophaps in the pigeon family Columbidae. They are found on islands in eastern Indonesia and Melanesia, where they inhabit hill and montane forest. Medium-sized pigeons with long tails and wings, they are 33–38.5 cm (13.0–15.2 in) long and weigh 259–385 g (9.1–13.6 oz). They mostly have dull grey, white, or chestnut-brown plumage, their most distinctive feature being bright red skin around the eyes. Males and females mostly look alike, but the Papuan and pale mountain pigeons show slight sexual dimorphism. Mountain pigeons are very social and are usually seen in flocks of 10–40 birds, although some species can form flocks of more than 100 individuals. They are generally quiet and do not make many vocalisations apart from a distinctive whooshing noise while leaving their high-altitude roosts to feed in the morning.
Mountain pigeon
A Papuan mountain pigeon showing the red facial skin distinctive of the genus
Image: Albertistaube
Image: Gymnophaps mada 247571885