We have recently welcomed a truly special baby bird as a Western crowned pigeon hatched about a month ago after 28 days of incubation.
Discovered by keepers on September 24, the little one is yet to be sexed but has already left the safety of its nest and now spends more and more time walking around with its parents. Our zoo has been home to Western crowned pigeons since 2015 under the European Studbook Program (EAZA ESB), with a very successful breeding pair that are now rearing their fifth offspring. The group of now five individuals is a real zoo rarity since the species is only found in a total of 17 zoos in Europe.
Native to rainforests in New Guinea, crowned pigeons are unique within the family Columbidae due to their blue color and the iconic crown-like ornament on their head as well as their sheer size; with an average length of 70 cm and a weight of over 2 kg, they are the largest of all pigeons. Pairs are strongly monogamous, staying together for their entire lifetime – up to 50 years – with a division of labor in terms of nest building, incubation and rearing. Crowned pigeons will only fly when absolutely necessary and mostly feed on fruits and invertebrates found on the ground; Western crowned pigeons (Goura cristata) even build their nests on or close to ground level. Used as the official provincial bird of West Guinea, Western crowned pigeons are primarily threatened by hunting, habitat loss and illegal trade, hence their inclusion in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List.
Like a number of our other residents, our crowned pigeon fledgling yet to be adopted. If you want to make him really happy while also offering us tremendous help, please consider becoming a zoo foster parent. Further info at:
Debrecen Zoo and Amusement Park
