Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Wonga Pigeon
Leucosarcia melanoleuca
Wonga Pigeon (Leucosarcia melanoleuca) — Pigeons & Doves of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Wonga Pigeon (Leucosarcia melanoleuca) is a member of the Columbidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 429 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Columbiformes
- Family Columbidae Pigeons, Doves
- Genus Leucosarcia
- Species melanoleuca
Where it lives
Southeastern QLD to southeastern VIC (eastern, southeastern Australia)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 429 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Columbidae
- Order
- Columbiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Vulnerable
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Wonga Pigeon is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Wonga Pigeon is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Wonga Pigeon (Leucosarcia melanoleuca) is a member of the Columbidae family, within the order Columbiformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU se QLD to se VIC (e, se Australia).
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 429 g, with a wing length of about 19.7 cm and a tail of around 13.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 503,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Wonga Pigeon?
The Wonga Pigeon is a large bird that weighs around 429 g.
Where does the Wonga Pigeon live?
The Wonga Pigeon is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU se QLD to se VIC (e, se Australia), where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Wonga Pigeon belong to?
The Wonga Pigeon (Leucosarcia melanoleuca) belongs to the Columbidae family, in the order Columbiformes.
What does the Wonga Pigeon eat?
The Wonga Pigeon is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Wonga Pigeon migrate?
The Wonga Pigeon is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Wonga Pigeon endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Wonga Pigeon make?
1 real field recording of the Wonga Pigeon — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Wonga Pigeon's range?
The Wonga Pigeon has a mapped global range of about 503,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Columbidae
A field guide to the Columbidae family — 352 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.