Topknot Pigeon

About the Topknot Pigeon

The topknot pigeon (Lopholaimus antarcticus) is a pigeon native to eastern Australia. English naturalist George Shaw described the topknot pigeon as Columba antarctica in 1793. The topknot pigeon is sister taxon to a lineage that gave rise to the mountain pigeons (Gymnophaps) of New Guinea, the common ancestor of both diverged from a lineage that gave rise to the kererū and Chatham pigeon.

"Topknot pigeon" has been designated the official common name by the International Ornithologists' Union (IOC); John Gould noted in 1848 that it had been given this name by the colonists of New South Wales. It is also known by the name of "flock pigeon".

The topknot pigeon is a large predominately slate-grey bird, 40–46 centimetres (16–18 in) in length. The back, coverts and upper secondaries are a darker slate-grey with black quills. The primaries are black, the remaining body in a lighter slate-grey in colour. The chest and hind neck are notched, showing dark bases giving a streaked appearance.[2] The tail is black crossed with a broad grey band. The crest is grey from the cere to the forehead, and russet brown on the crown with black sides. The mandibles are red... Wikipedia →